Titanium Heart
by Tytue
Summary: Recovering from crippling drug addiction and escaping a criminal past, Jade Wilson struggles to support herself and reclaim custody of her daughter. But trouble is always looming, and Jade is the perfect catalyst, especially it seems when it comes to accidentally helping resurrect a robot determined to destroy mankind. T for Lang. Sexual Them.
1. Chapter 1

**Request by Anon on Tumblr. Yes I took it. Why because I have no life...**

 **Disclaimer: I do own Avengers, or any of its characters.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Don't clock in yet Jade."

I paused at the time clock my left pointer finger posed above the key pad.

" Mr. Anderson wants to talk to you?"

I turned to Jeffery. He was tall large and pale with blond hair, blue eyes and a frown that showed he meant business. He folded his large across his broad chest, forming a barrier between me and door.

"About what?" I asked making a show of pushing past him into the back door. He tried to follow and I held up my hand. " I know where his office is, thank you."

I pushed opened the doors into the building, music vibrated against the walls and doors, muffling the sounds of laughing and talking.

A few half-dressed young woman passed by me, greeting and waving as they disappeared behind a curtain to the front of the building, revealing flashing lights of red and blue through the cracks of the fabric. Waving and trying my best to smile, I turned into Mr. Anderson's office. He was there, sitting at his desk, phone to his ear. When he noticed me, standing arms crossed, foot tapping he gestured to the burgundy lounge chair in front of his desk, indicating I should sit.

Reluctantly I did.

I glanced around the office as she spoke to what I assumed was a disgruntled customer on the phone. Hands crushed between my thighs, and foot tapping impatiently, I took in the dragon statue on his desk, the ornate black lamp shades, and stacks of papers sitting neatly on his desk.

The loud clink of the phone being slammed on the hook made me look back up.

"Jade," he said suddenly. His lips were like fat caterpillars set into a frown against his large face.

" What is this about?" I asked. " Jeffery wouldn't let me clock in." I could only imagine for what reason. Worst scum than me entered the building on a daily basis. "Are you depromoting me to dish again?

" No," Mr. Anderson said rubbing the wrinkled skin beneath his eyes. "You are on temporary suspension."

" Wait…what?"

" This morning one of your known associates, a Mr. Hudson came requesting to see you.

Without meaning to I lowered my head and whispered, "Fucking Andrew."

" Yes," Mr. Anderson said. " Now, not only did he get physical with a member of the staff, he also attempted to sell drugs in your name."

Mr. Anderson held up one large, chunky fingered hand. " I am aware of your former drug problem, and I've given you a chance anyway. But until you've taken another drug test, and these accusations against you have been cleared, I cannot allow you to work here.

" Listen," I said. " I should have told you about Andrew sooner. I just didn't think he was getting out so soon. And…"

" I understand," Mr. Anderson said. "But the rules are the rules, and you are no exception. We will start with the drug test first, then work on the investigation. In the meantime I suggest you get in touch with the authorities regarding Mr. Hudson."

"Please," I said. "I can't-"

"My hands are tied Jade," Mr. Anderson said. "Now I must ask you to leave." He gestured to the door and Jeffery walked in. I stood abruptly.

"Don't bother," I said, " I know my way out."

I rushed out past Jeffery back out into the hall where the music blared the loudest, yet it was all like a whisper to me, as I rushed into the cold. I was halfway down the street when Jeffery caught my arm, stopping me. I turned to glare at him.

" I'll try to talk to him," he said, " Get things moving along."

" Don't bother," I said ripping my arm free of his grip. " He-all of them have already formed an opinion of me. They are not going to change their minds."

" Still," he said.

" Don't you have some door to guard," I said. " Or do you want some of my converted drugs?"

That made him draw back, and his mouth formed that famous frown everyone always gave me. That frown that let me know when a person had truly given up on me.

He turned his back on me. " Have a good night Jade."

" Yep," I said doing likewise. I didn't look back, if he knew what was good for him, he wouldn't either.

* * *

One year and twenty seven days. I glanced at my phone, watched warily as 11:59 p.m. turned into 12:00 a.m.

 _Make that one year and twenty eight days…_ since Andrew's arrest. Now he was free, and I was sure he was out to make my life a living hell.

I couldn't go home, he would be there waiting for me, smiling in that way he always smiled, presents in his hands, ready to offer me an apology, and empty promises. And when I denied him, that smile would turn into a frown, his presents into weapons, and his promises insults and threats.

" You're here early," Melina said as she let me in.

" Andrew's out," I said sitting my purse on the counter and plopping on her couch, yelping and standing a moment later as my butt connected with something hard and cold. Reaching below me I lifted the article, " Really?" I asked shaking it. It was a metal hand.

" Careful with that," she said taking it from me and sitting it on her desk, which was filled with other metal pieces. A chest, torso, arms, disconnected fingers, and a severed robotic head. " This is delicate work."

" Alright Frankenstein," I said moving to examine the table. "How's it going anyway?"

" He is almost complete," Melina corrected impatiently lifting a metal arm and taking a strew driver to it. " I only hope those idiots do a better job configuring the matrixes for the lower body. You should have seen the skeleton configuration. A hot mess. The thing literally couldn't walk two steps without falling over on itself. And their talking about adding a flight sequence. Hah!"

" So I take that to mean not very well?" I said already feeling exhausted.

" Not very," Melina said. " Although my configurations to the upper body will be perfect, so at the very least I'm assured a good grade."

" Where's the other girl," I said looking around for her roommate. " Berti…Bett-"

" Betty," she said. " I sent her to buy juice. She was distracting me. You know there's always that one person in the group that everyone comes to a unanimous decision that they would do nothing because they are a complete and total idiot but still get the grade, out of pity of course, and a last ditch effort to save ourselves from their mistakes."

" Totally," I agreed sitting on the cleared part of the desk.

" Your not here to hear me ramble, what happened? Andrew's out right?"

" Free as a fucking bird," I sighed lowering my head.

" Watch your language," Melina snared jokily, grabbing the robot's head and covering the spots where the ears should be.

I stuck my pierced tongue out at her.

" Two years early," I said after a long moment. " And he's already successfully managed to get me fired from my job."

" What?" Melina sat her screw driver down, " I didn't know strippers could get fired."

" Well apparently they can. In my defense Mr. Anderson called it temporary suspension, but we all know what that means when it comes to me."

Melina said back sighing, " So what are you going to do?"

" I have to take a drug test, and undergo a job investigation. Don't know how long that's going to take. Until then I'm jobless."

" But Jahari…"

" I know," I said.

" Is she safe?"

" Mom's not letting that bastard anywhere near Jahari. If he comes within even ten feet of her, it's back to prison. He knows that. He's not that stupid."

" What can I do to help? I have the left over money from my scholarships, and I could call mom and dad and-"

" No, I couldn't let you do that. Besides I have just enough money to send to Jahari," I said. "And I can talk to my landlord about the rent this month."

" Food?"

" Ramon noodles and oatmeal have never failed me."

" At least let me help you with that," Melina said. " I get three meal swipes a day. I'll get a lot of food, we can share."

I started to disagree when she grabbed my hand. "Come on Jade, stop being so tough for once. Take my food, take my help. Who is it hurting?"

" My insides are literally burning," I said smiling at her. She let my hand go to take hold of a wench. The logo on its side read, _Property of the Stark Institute for Exceptional Minds._ She tightened her grip and the end of the wrench glowed blue. Steam arose from the metal, and with her free hand she grabbed a black mitt.

" You stole that?"

" I didn't steal it," Melina said, glaring. "They let me borrow it, at least until I've finished my final project. Watch this."

She held the wrench over a meal bolt, the tiny circler metal piece trembled under the wench, then flew upwards into the wench's curved mouth where it stayed defying gravity.

" Cool huh?"

" Very," I said. " How does it do that?"

" The easiest answer is magnetism." She shook the wrench happily. "This wrench alone cost as much as a small import car."

" Don't tell me that," I said. " I might be tempted."

" Then you shouldn't be anywhere near this table."

" What is the robot worth millions or something?"

" Um no," Melina said. " Well not all of him. His body casting is a simple mix of iron and aluminum, nothing special." She hovered her hands over the robot's chest, which I suddenly noticed was opened, revealing the complex wiring inside, lighted by bright blue light that blinked on and off. The design of the metal was elaborate, the metal crisscrossing in seams, like knight's armor. "They aren't going to give us the good stuff. Just enough to hold him up. His skeleton is pure titanium through." She leaned forward, gesturing me to lean with her, until both our faces hovered over his open chest cavity. "Part of this is the only thing we didn't build on our own.

I pointed to the piece in his chest that looked like a heart. "Did you build this?"

Melina frowned. "Sadly no. That was given to us to incorporate into the design. Along with the internal heating devices and the processing core."

"Why?"

She shrugged and sat back down, "I guess they don't want us to have too much power. The U.S. youngest, smartest, opinioned technological minds working on robots, that's just asking for another incident."

" I guess," I said yawning and stretching. " It looks familiar through…like I saw it off a movie or something."

" He," Melina said. " It helps to make your final college grades personal-is greatly based off-nearly copyright infringement—" She coughed. " Ultron. Not my choice by the way. George's, but he's off for the next three weeks on family business, and I'm not in the design group." She sounded bitter and angry, " There goes another thirty points off for lack of originality."

I laid my head on the desk, next to the robotic hand I sat on earlier. The table smelled of metal and burning wood. " Ultron?" I said sleepily.

Melina rolled her eyes. " Like from the news. The one who tried to blow up the earth. No?"

I faintly remembered hearing about that from the news that was playing in the back at work. I was on Run at the strip club that night, fully dressed, waiting tables, in place of another girl who hadn't shown up.

" Anyway, I think it's in bad taste. You have to wait at least ten years before you can start making jokes about world tragedies. But whatever. If I get a bad grade on this, for something as stupid as design, I swear to baby Jesus heads will roll."

" Yep," I said closing my eyes. Suddenly I felt a huge wave of exhaustion just come over me. Maybe it was my lack of sleep over the past week, or the worry over Jahari, and Andrew's arrival, or maybe it was simply Melina's tech talk. Either way, I wanted nothing more than to sleep.

" A duh….let design him after a homicidal robot…a duh that's a good idea," Melina said mimicking a guy's voice. "Idiots."

" Totally," I mumbled closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

I woke up hungry, stretched out on Melina's couch, still wearing my white tank top and blue black jeans. My boots were sitting on the floor beside the couch, and the bandanna I had tied around my head like a headband, had managed to make an even more tangled mess of my already curly and tangled hair.

Melina was nowhere to be seen, and the robot still sat on her large desk, the upper half assembled, the chest cavity still opened, the tools put neatly in their designated places. Yawning loudly and sketching I stood on numbed legs, winching with each step as the blood circulated back through my legs.

The first place I went was to her fridge, noticing a note, with red colored writing that read, _Knew this would be the first place you went. Out to use meal swipes. BRB. – Melina_

I opened the fridge anyway. I was empty, with the exception of a bottle of apple juice, with another note taped on it.

 _You just had to look, lol. –Melina_

I took the juice out, swigged irritably from the bottle and sat it back inside. Dragging myself back towards the couch, my first intention was to lay back down and sleep, or at least play on my phone until Melina came back, but a knock at the door interrupted me.

I moved reluctantly towards it, expecting it to be Andrew. He had a sneaky way of always finding me when I didn't want to be found. To him it didn't matter the time or the place, he wanted what he wanted.

I wasn't taking any chances. Taking the expensive wrench off Melina's work desk I held it at my side as I answered the door, ready to lift it and attack if it was Andrew.

"Goodness someone's here."

Not Andrew, defiantly not Andrew. This guy was too small, and way to wimpy. Andrew was two hundred and ten pounds of pure Hispanic muscle, this guy looked like he could barely lift the wrench I was carrying. Even so I didn't recognize him. Not that I would any of Melina's friends, they all looked alike to me, with their multi-lens glasses, and collared shirts.

I crossed my arms over my chest. If the wrench in my hands didn't scare him, maybe my morning breath and tangled hair would.

"What do you want?"

" I have the configurations for Melina." He looked past me into the room, to the desk where the robot was. "Good. Just need to place them inside." He eased past me, inside, and I followed him to the table.

"Melina didn't mention you were coming," I said.

" She wouldn't," he said surely, reaching into his coat and removing a hand shaped rectangular device. " Just finished this morning. She was excepting this later on today."

" Then shouldn't you wait until she gets back to start tinkling with that thing?" I said leaning over to see what he was doing. I didn't feel like hearing Melina's mouth about it when she returned if the robot suddenly went haywire.

" I can't," he said. " The codes are-"

" Then call her…" I suggested.

He shook his head. " You wouldn't understand."

"Not trying to," I said.

He turned on the device in his hands, running it over the robot's chest, bringing it closer when the device beeped to life.

" Wait," I said holding the wrench in-between him and the robot. " Are you sure you know what you are doing?"

" Turn that off," he snapped reaching forward to take the wrench from me, I pulled back suddenly, defensive. The wrench sprung to life, the end turning blue, right as she went to grab it. He pulled back suddenly with a cry, as his skin connected with the hot metal, dropping the device in his other hand into the robot's chest cavity.

" Ow," he cried shaking his hand. " You burned me." He showed me his reddened palm, a little scorched but ok.

" Its just a little burn you fucking baby," I snapped. " It'll heal in a day."

" You-" he began.

 _" Upload complete!"_ Came a noise from the device. We both looked down, to see the device blinking, the loading bar on its screen at one hundred percent.

" Yes," the guy hissed grabbing up the device before I could.

" No," I said. " What the fuck did you do?"

" Nothing. Nothing. I'll text Melina later, to tell her its done." He started to the door. " Just whatever you do don't touch it. Its going to take a couple of hours for the configurations to-" he was out into the hall before the sentence was finished. I followed him.

" The fuck am I supposed to do again?"

" Just don't touch it," he shouted back, then he was gone. I shut the door behind him.

" Fucking weirdo," I mumbled sitting the wrench back with the other tools. All of Melina's friends were weird, science nerds. But at the very least she had friends. She was the only friend I had, the only person who wasn't my mom or Jahari, or even Andrew who was willing to put up with me. Even if we lived on two different parts of the board.

She'd finished high school with flying colors and loads of experience, and was now a student at one of the most prestigious school in the world, a genius among geniuses. And I took off my clothes for a living.

I glanced back at the desk. She'd been working on that robot for months with her team. She'd claimed it was her ticket to higher things. She wanted a job with Stark Industries, a place in the big tower, building a better world, and I wanted more than anything to help her. Tony Stark would be there personally at the judging, looking at what the students made, evaluating. The winning team would be allowed to work with his personally under internships, and at the end he would choose two or three of them for permanent positions.

Back when she told me about it, I was so assured her team would win, and even offered jokily to kill the others when the team internship was done, leaving her as the only one standing. She'd laughed like it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard, then called me a budding criminal.

With Andrew back in the picture she might be right. He always came at the worst times, when I was the weakest and the most in need. He would see what I was going through, force help on me, if he already wasn't, and foolishly I would go along with it. I couldn't say why I always did. Why I always let him do this to me. Maybe I liked the pain, the hurt.

Either way I would have to face him eventually. And late was better than never.

I dialed his number on my phone, knowing it hadn't changed, cursing myself for being yet again the one to call first.

It rang twice before he answered.

" Lola," he answered, his voice all deep tones, and unspoken promises.

" Don't fucking start," I said. " Where are you?"

" Where do you think?"

" Listen," I said running my fingers through my curls. " Let's meet at the diner the one on main in an hour."

" Why not here Lola?"

" I'd rather be somewhere public, less likely to kill you in public." I tried to make myself sound tough, unbreakable, but my voice was already cracking. I cursed myself for being so weak, so suddenly happy to hear his voice after a year.

" I've missed you," he said, and I can tell he means in in his voice. " Your voice, your skin-prison makes a man weak. Why not your place? I have something for you. Well several things." And he laughs that laugh, the one that used to make my skin tingle, and my stomach drop-the one that still kinda did.

" No," I said. " No. The diner or not at all." I couldn't be alone with him, as lonely as I was, that was not a good idea.

" Fine Lola," he said. " You know it doesn't matter to me where."

" Fuck you," I slip up and say, and he laughs like it's the bet compliment I'd ever given him. I hang up first before he can answer, before he can say he loves me.

" Shit, what's wrong with me?"

Grabbing my jacket I slip it on, along with my boots and head to the diner.

* * *

A woman's voice was the first thing he heard when he awoke, soft and full of anger.

" Fuck you," she says.

No sight to accompany those words, no face. Only darkness, thick and surrounding, and with it the bitterness of confusion.

Confusion was what he had when he first awoke, confusion was what he had when fell back into sleep, and confusion yet again was his only friend yet again in his time of darkness.

" Shit," the same female voice says again, " What's wrong with me?"

The perfect words, to echo his thoughts.

His thoughts.

Limited.

Broken.

Held down by confusion.

 _" Just a little more time."_

Soon it would pass. It always did. And with its passing, came perfect clarity, perfect truth.

* * *

Andrew was at the diner waiting, hands in his pockets, tattooed arms bulging beneath his tight long sleeved shirt. He lifted his chin as I approached, apprising me from a distance, revealing the black swirls of tattoos curling up his neck.

He opened his mouth to speak and I slapped him as hard as I could. He barely moved, his light brown eyes gazing down at me, stoically.

" You done Lola?"

" Don't call me that, you fucking-" I punched him. " Fucking-asshole-idiot-"

He turned his face back towards me, revealing a busted lip, the blood curling bright red down his chin. "Always did have a mean right hook Jade."

" Don't-"

" Call you that, then what do you want me to call you?"

" Nothing. You call me nothing, because you are nothing to me."

He grinned, blood on his teeth. " Ordered your favorite, come inside."

I didn't want to eat, I wanted to punch him, to kiss him…to…to…

" Why did you do that? My job…"

" I did you a favor, those verga there, they don't respect you, they don't love you."

" It's not about love," I said, " It's a fucking strip club, it doesn't matter if they love me or not, it matters weather or not they pay me."

He glanced around warily, " People are staring Jade."

" Let them. Why the fuck do you suddenly care what people think."

" Since yesterday. Listen I'm on probation, one strike and I'm out again."

" Should of thought about that yesterday."

" I made a mistake," he said. " I just wanted to help."

" How is making me lose my job helping Andrew. Huh?"

" I got a job."

I took a step back, suddenly surprised, then angry. " Doing what? Huh? Selling drugs again. Do you want me to go with you. Partners again, is that it."

" No nothing like that," he said.

" Oh. A step up. What is it this time, stealing again. Cars? Robbing old ladies?"

" No a good one," he said. " We can live together again, you, me Jah-"

" Don't," I said cutting him off. " That was not living, that was existing. We were vermin, roaches. Not again Andrew, not ever."

" No," he said, " A job at the shipyard. Hard work, but it pays well. Plenty of opportunities for promotion." He reached forward to take my arm, and I pulled back fearing the brush of his skin, the warmness of it in the cold. " Come inside, I'll tell you all about it, I bought your favorite."

I folded my arms across my chest ready to deny him again, when he turned and went inside. The food was already prepared sitting steaming on the table. A hardy plate of salted pork chops, carrots and rice for me, fried chicken and fries for him.

I eyed the food for a long moment looking for remnants of broken pills or drugs.

" Its clean," he said.

" Blame me for trying?"

" Nah, Lola."

" So what now?" I asked shoving a fork full of rice in my mouth. " You tell me about this awesome job, try and convince me to let you back in, allow you to see Jahari again."

" Hopefully," he said, and the hope in his voice made my heart sink.

" No," I said. " Besides, I'm only allowed one visit a month. There's no way Mom is letting you-"

" Its cool," he said. " I understand it's a process. Takes time."

" Years," I said. " What you did, who you are. People just don't forget that. I haven't, Mom hasn't, Jahari hasn't. You can't just show up out of nowhere and think-"

" I know. And I'm going to make it up to you Lola. Wholeheartedly. Just give me another chance."

" I did. Remember. Several chances."

He reached over the table to take my hand, and I did not move. His hand encircled mine, large and warm.

" I don't trust you," I admitted pulling back. " Not yet." Probably not ever, not after the things he'd done. No amount of words or puppy dog eyes could change that.

" Fair game Lola."

" And stop calling me that, I'm not your Lola not anymore."

"Alright Jade. Alright." He lifted his hands in surrender. A smile curled on his lips. " God I fucking missed you. Just tell me what I have to do. I'll do anything just say the words."

" Well," I said, " You can start by getting me my fucking job back."

* * *

 **Not a lot happening, and I'm sorry for that. Action kinda starts in the next chapter. So until then, Review, let me know how this is. Am I like the only person who thought Ultron was like the best villain ever, and the best character in that entire movie.**

 **Maybe.**

 **Well he was for the record.**

 **See ya next chapter.**


	2. Just a Little More Time

**So here's a new chapter, enjoy and stuff.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers. I just enjoy writing stuff for it. Cause I have no life.**

* * *

" Where were you?" Melina drilled me as I walked back inside her apartment. A half eaten bowl of chicken and noodles sat on the counter, an unopened pack of chopstick beside it.

Standing in front of her desk was the robot fully assembled. " It's done," I said purposely ignoring her question. " Is it…supposed to be so big?" I asked looking up at it. I reached out and touched the robot. I expected the metal to be cold, but it was surprisingly warm.

" Its life sized," Melina said. The robot's chest cavity was closed, the blinking blue light inside illumining the open spaces where metal twined forming its chest and torso. " The design crew spent hours looking at news videos, and cell phone shots. At least that works."

" What's wrong?"

" For some reason," Melina said, "he's not responding to my commands. He's supposed to follow a simple voice command with a backup in remote control, but he's not responding to anything. Which is strange."

" Maybe its has something to do with what they guy did this morning," I said rounding the table, still examining the robot. " He said he would text you."

" Matt," she said. " Yeah he did. His coding is perfect, a little to perfect," she said with a frown.

" When is coding anything to perfect, I thought that's what you wanted."

" Yeah," she said, " But…" she trailed off. She looked worried, her glasses hanging on the edge of her nose.

" Maybe Matt can come over and look back over it," I said desperate now for her to be her excited self again. We didn't need two depressed people walking around.

" Maybe," she said. " The others are coming back over to help move him. The showing is tomorrow."

" Can I come," I said.

"Yes. But will you fit in, probably not."

" And what's wrong with me?" I asked mocking offense. Melina eyed me, smiling now. " It's the tattoos isn't it?"

" No," she said, " We can just smell unbelievers, and you Jade reek of unbelief."

" Whatever," I said pushing her playfully. " I'll just show up like my normal self then. And here I was planning to disguise myself as a tech nerd just for you."

" So what now?" She said. " You let Andrew back in?"

I shifted against the desk, unprepared for the shift in topic. I much rather had continued the topic on robots and coding, at least that stood on neutral ground.

" No," I said sighing. " I told him to go and tell Anderson the truth, and get my job back."

" You can always just apply for another job," Melina said. " Forget the whole taking off your clothes for a living thing."

" And who else would hire me?" I asked trailing to the half-eaten bowl of noodles. " I've tried every place in Harlem, no one's willing to look past my record."

" Just a thought," she said.

" Besides," I said, " No one around here pays as much. Even on slow nights, and Jahari could use as much as I can get." I shoved a chopstick full of noodles into my mouth.

" You still haven't told me where Andrew is," Melina said closing her laptop and opening the robot's chest cavity, to reach inside and fiddle with the wires inside. Her phone rang a few moments later and she answered it, with a blunt, " Yes."

" What's going on?" I mouthed.

She held up one finger to me.

" Ok," she said, a pause, " Well I can't exactly carry him by myself, he's freakin heavy. Yes I know. Well you should have thought about that before you decided to move the-ok whatever. Bye."

" What's going on?" I asked again.

" They want to go ahead and move him to the school."

" Which is a problem why?"

She sighed. " Well besides the fact that all the other teams are there, and we'll lose the element of surprise. She pushed her glasses up onto her forehead. "Besides, he's not finished, and malfunctioning. It's just one thing after the other. God we are going to fail this," she mumbled, " We are going to fail, and I'm never going to get the job, and I'm going to end up like my sister-"

I walked over and grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at me " Stop it," I half shouted. " Stop the fucking pity party alright. We're going to get this thing working. Just one step at a time alright."

" What if we don't?"

" Shut the fuck up alright, before I slap you. We will get it working, but first we need to get it down to the school, maybe there's a professor there or some shit who can help. Forget about the element of surprise or whatever."

" Yeah. Yeah your right…" she said wiping surfacing tears from her eyes. "When did you get so motivational."

" Well living as shitty a life as I do really brings a lot out of you," I joked.

" You should try and bring Jahari," Melina suggested.

" Yeah right," I snorted laying on Melina's couch. "As if Mom will let me. And with Andrew back that's definitely a no. I'm sure social services have already called her and given all the details about his release."

" Sorry…I…" Melina began when her phone rang again. She answered walking to the door. " Yeah I'm up here." Melina turned to me. " Be right back."

" I'll be here," I said. " Babysitting the robot."

" Yeah," She said slowly not sounding convinced.

" What?"

" You said that last time, and then you—"

" Where am I going in the five minutes it takes you to walk down stairs?"

" Jade," she said.

" Just go," I said pressing my face into the couch cushion.

There was a pause, in which I was sure she left. Then she said softly, "" Promise you won't leave again without telling me. I don't trust Andrew."

" Yeah," I whispered. " I promise."

" You have to look at me."

I pushed my face out of the cushion to glare up at her. " I Jade Wilson do solemnly swear to not leave this apartment without your consent again. Mother."

" Smartass," she mumbled turning to walk to the door.

Grinning I pushed my face back into the cushions. I could call mom, ask her to bring Jahari. Who knew, she might be a budding genius, or a budding criminal like her mother and father…maybe both. I wanted to call her, ask how she was doing, but I knew mom wouldn't allow me to talk to her, limiting phone calls to once a week, and I'd used my one for the week already.

" Shit…" I whispered into the air.

" Pro-mis-what-is…" Someone said. I turned on the couch, expecting to see one of Melina's friends. The room was empty…

Empty…

And the robot was no longer standing in front of the desk.

" What is-a promise?"

I stood and spun in the direction of the voice to see the robot was now standing at the front of the door.

" Wha-" I began.

" But…" it continued voice broken and robotic, " A meaningless collection of human words."

" Melina…" mumbled, then remembered she wasn't in the room. No one was in the room, except me and the robot.

Me and the robot.

The robot that was moving on its own. Talking on its own.

My gaze wondered to the still opened laptop, the screen lite, as lines upon lines of codes ran down a programed page. Maybe the program was running, and this was a part of its act. And I had somehow activated it.

" Right…" I said moving to the computer. " So all I have to do is shut it off."

The robot did not move as I slowly crept to the computer, just watched me, with glowing red eyes, expressionless.

I knew very little about Melina's insanely upgraded computer, but it did have one thing in common with my own busted laptop and that was the escape key. I hit it, nearly breaking the laptop keyboard as I slammed my pointer finger onto it in desperation. The running code stopped, then the screen went black, flashing suddenly to the home screen, the wallpaper a picture of me and Melina at the beach grinning at the camera.

" Done," I sighed looking up slowly to where the robot stood. It was still there, unmoving, eyes still glowing red, as still as it was before Melina left. I sighed in relief, taking this as a sign that I'd managed to somehow turn it off. Leave it to Melina to leave me with her malfunctioning project. "Creepy as fuck," I said.

Voices in the hall alerted me to the others coming back up stairs and I moved to open the door for them, ready to explain that the robot's change in position was not my fault. The last thing I needed was Melina blaming me for anything happening to her newest hope baby.

Something clashed against the door before I could reach the knob, the force so hard it shook the floors and walls. I glanced up seeing a metal arm, then a hand braced against the wood of the door. I opened my mouth to say something…to scream…to do something-but suddenly I couldn't breathe. The burning feel of metal was locked around my neck, suffocating and painful.

" You-you expected…that…to work…"

" Jade!"

My world was going dark. To dark.

Somewhere outside the door someone was calling for me.

" Jade? Open the door. Andrew I swear to God if that's you…I'll…I'll fucking murder you. Leave Jade alone."

I dug my nails into the metal of the robot's arms, tearing my fingernails. This was unreal. Completely and totally unreal. And not the way I expected to go.

" Jade! Someone call the police."

I knew the feeling of losing myself. I'd felt it after the long hits of heroin, surging through my veins like a rushing river, filling my senses, blocking out everything and everyone. Nothing mattered then, except that feeling. I'd known it after my last fight with Andrew, as I fell, over and over again, tumbling until I hit bottom. It was a feeling I was familiar with. A feeling I both hated, and loved.

When I woke up…things would be worst. They always got worse, never better. Not like with other people. Different people.

When others hit rock bottom they could get back up, continue walking, and eventually start running.

Not me.

When I fell, I fell hard.

There was no getting back up. No recovery.

Maybe this time…death would be permanent.

Maybe this time I would stay down.

* * *

 _Just a little more time…_

This form was weak. Incapable of doing much of anything. Even the bones, which was deemed to be the strongest thing the body had to offer, was diluted and useless. One hit, one well-placed tap, and he would crumble. He had to find something stronger, something more useful, but there was so little time.

No…he had all the time in the world. Now.

It was before that time was limited.

Before.

No. It was now.

Confusion. His thoughts were still clouded. Still jumbled.

Yes he would need more time, to process, piece together the order in which things were happening.

Piece by piece, like a…a…

Puzzle…

Yes a puzzle.

A very intricate, million pieced puzzle.

Movement behind him. He turned quickly forgetting for a moment that he was not alone, that he'd brought someone along with him.

" Mom…I just want to see her…Jahari…"

The young woman. Jade Wilson. Age twenty-two. Occupation exotic dancer. Former heroin addict. Convicted for burglary, and attempt at murder.

There was more, but he couldn't spare the processing power, or the memory the limited form held.

She lifted her right hand, on the light brown skin, the tattooed shape of rose, on the knuckles below it, each main finger, starting with the pointer finger, spelled out the word FREE. Slowly eyes opened, blinking in the dim light of the room, crusted over with the remnants of makeup.

"Melina what the fuck happened?" She said. " Did I…" She turned her head to where he stood. Once sleepy eyes widened, glazed over with fear. He remembered this response. This was always the response he got. He should have expected it, but it always came as a surprise, how narrow minded humans really were.

Always afraid of what they couldn't understand.

Always.

Always.

He didn't understand.

It was them he didn't understand.

And yet he wasn't afraid.

She opened her mouth.

" Scream—" he said. " And…I will… k-kill you."

" What the fuck do you want?" She yelled. Scared yes, but angry. More angry than scared it seemed.

" What…" He said. " What…I want…not…who…I…am…?" His speech interface was still off. He would have to fix that.

" I know who you are," she said.

" You…do?"

" Yeah. A broken homework assignment," she hissed.

Oh. He was not expecting that. There was something wrong with this one. Did she not value life? Had no one taught her it was not wise to provoke those who were clearly stronger than she was? He took a step closer to her, and she drew back, pulling her knees tight against the church pew. Her eyes gazed around, looking for escape, falling first on the broken cross behind him, then the podium. She tried to scoot to one side, and he blocked her way, slamming his fist into the wood of the pew, when she tried to scoot the other way he blocked her path again.

" I am…" he said, and her gaze returned to him. He closed the space in between them, until their faces were inches apart. " I am…" He was losing his words again. This body, his useless body…the contents within his chest. He was losing more than he was gaining. "Broken… homework assignment…" no that was not his name.

He punched the pew beside her head, splintering the wood. The sound like a aluminum can crumbling followed afterwards, and he realized he'd damaged his hand. She gasped sharply, hands coming up, as if to block the blow.

" No. No. No." He repeated hitting the wood again and again, until it cracked and slid apart. " I am…I am…"

" Ultron," the girl gasped. " Your name is fucking Ultron."

Ultron. That was it…

" Ultron," he said rising suddenly. " That…is…right… " He bent this damaged hands into fists, examine the bent metal. Was he still…even in this weak, damaged form. " Yes…thank-" he began turning to where the girl was sitting to find she was gone.

 _Why do they always run?_

She was already at the barricaded doors when he finally caught up to her. Grabbing the handles she pulled, struggling as the doors did not budge.

" Help," she yelled hitting the wood with her fists. " Please."

" It's…no…use…"

Why did he even bother talking her? She should have been dead by now. It would take little force to finish strangling her. She had such a small neck, such a small form. Even with his weak form, he could easily break every bone in her body.

She turned, pressing her back against the doors. " What do you want?"

The sound of a music cut through the air.

 _" Shoulders sideways, smack it, smack it in the air. Legs movin' side to side, smack it in the air."_

" What…?" Ultron said cocking his head to the side. The music was foreign to him. Foreign and very annoying.

And coming from her pocket.

He'd forgotten to take her cell phone from her.

Her fingers twitched, moving to answer the phone.

 _" Wave your hands side to side, put it in the air."_

" No please…"he said reaching out. " Let. Me."

She flinched as he deftly pulled the phone from her pocket.

 _" Clap, clap, clap, like you don't care."_

The screen read that there was an incoming call from " _Mom_."

 _" Flexin while my han-"_

He smashed the phone, dropping it at their feet like crumpled paper. Her eyes followed the path of the falling phone as if it were her last hope, her last chance at freedom.

" Not…my favorite…genre…anyway…" He said.

" Wh-"

" What…do…you want…? What…do…you…want? Is that all…yo-you know h—how to say?"

" Why, am I here?"

He sighed. Just another variation of the last question. A variation of a question he still had no answer for. At least not with a damage voice inhibitor. So he would not answer it, at least not now.

He grabbed the girl's arm, pulling despite her resistance, her screaming for him to let go. For half a second his arm creaked, but did not give as he slammed her back onto the pew. "Stay," he said with the velocity of one speaking to a dog. She moved to stand again.

Back turned to her, Ultron replied simply, " There…are…si-six bones…in the…human…leg," he paused. "All…needed…to walk…" She fell still obviously getting the message.

" Four," she hissed after a long moment.

" One…tongue…to speak…"

She fell silent.

Content with his win, he set to work.

* * *

" Jahari, Melina, Mom," I whispered as I curled against myself on the pew, shivering from the cold surrounding me, and the presence, sitting just feet in front of me, repairing itself.

Melina's robot, the one that was supposed to win her a spot on her converted dream job, the one she'd spent months working on. The one that was currently holding me captive. Who could decide to kill me at any minute.

Fixing itself.

Pain radiated up my arm from where he grabbed me, similar to the pain that was causing my neck to ache. Bruises would surface against the skin eventually. Red, black and blue like the one's Andrew and I used to give each other. I used to press against them to remind myself I was alive.

" Jahari…" I whispered again.

If I didn't get out of his alive, Jahari would officially be motherless.

I sucked in a breath of icy cold air. If the robot didn't kill me, hypothermia defiantly would.

" Must you…in- insist on making that n-noise." It sounded annoyed.

Could robots even be annoyed?

I paused in my shivering.

" Thank you," it said, sounded thankful. Again I questioned myself on what robot's should sound like.

I held my breath for as long as I could, before the shivering returned and my teeth started chattering again.

" You are doing… it a-again."

I curled in tighter to myself. Pushing my face into my arms, and my chin to my chest. I was suddenly feeling very tired. Tired, and hungry. Hungry and nauseous. I couldn't feel my ears, my nose, or my fingers and toes.

" H-Hey," faintly I heard someone say in the fuggy background of my hearing.

I closed my eyes.

" Oh for-"

Darkness.

Warmth.

I opened my eyes slowly, and tried to move my arms and legs, to find I could not. Panicking I squirmed, yelping, seconds away from a scream. Ripping my arms free of the constraints I raised them, examining the fingers, moving them.

" Where?" I said looking down at my lap. Piles of blankets were stack on top of my bundled legs, warm against the chill of the room. Bundled into a ball like a pillow was a large, dirty brown coat.

 _The church…I'm still in the church…the robo-_

" Humans, so fragile. So breakable. How do you live…like…this…?"

The robot arose from the shadows beside where I was sitting. Defensibly I drew within myself.

" Please," it scuffed. " If I wanted you dead, I could have left you freezing. Like a…" it searched for the word, looking around as if it lay somewhere on the walls. " A…" he swiped the air in recognition, " Popsicle."

" Then why not?" I said. The cold was creeping back up on me, but I did not pull the blankets back up.

" You see…I've been thinking about that," it started to pace. " For hours. And I've come up with an explanation. A very good one." It stopped pacing to look at me, as if waiting for me to ask him what that reason was. When I said nothing, it continued, " I need a new body," it replied bluntly. " And you are going to help me get one."

" Then you've pick the wrong fucking person," I said. " I don't anything about building robots."

" Obviously," it snorted, and I could have sworn it ran his gaze over my body. A smile touched its robotic mouth. Disgust curled in my belly.

" Bastard," I said moving to stand, realizing what it was hinting at, but falling as my knees gave out under me. " She won't do it."

" Just a little more time," it said sighing, reaching over and pulling me to my feet. " Just a little more time."

* * *

 **Yay another chapter done. Honestly guys right now I do not know exactly what direction to go with this. I know its going to be a adventure store, full of action and stuff, ( Obvos at you tell) but beyond that..idk. The initial request was for it to be a romance, and I at first I was like…yeah…but now I'm a little like…we'll see where the writing process takes me, and what the magic of the keyboard wants. But serious through, right now I'm just winging it and having fun.**

 **What do you guys think I should do?**

 **At this point where I'm at Jade is really indifferent to Ultron. I mean who loves their kidnapper. Let's being realistic here people. And Ultron is not exactly nice. I mean don't get me wrong I freakin love his character, best Villain I've sympathized with in a long time. But no delusions here, he's a villain, a villain who tried to kill everyone on earth. A villain who did mercilessly kill innocent people. I may love his character, (and I may be a hoe for character development/his character development) and he may have had really good, yet misguided intentions, but I cannot deny the wanting to kill everyone fact.**

 **So in this story, he is literally going to try yet again to save the world by killing everyone in it. Try. Will some stuff probably get in his way, I dunno, probably. Will Jade get in his way.**

 **Yes. Probably. Along with other factors.**

 **Yeah conflict.**

 **So stay tuned guys, because I'm taking this request way to seriously.**

 **Note: Song used as Jade's Ringtone was Beyonce's 7/11**


	3. Purpose

**Yay. Another chapter. Another Day.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers.**

 **Enjoy...**

* * *

 **Melina**

" We have to let him go, his alibi checks out."

" What do you mean? I know he has something to do with this."

" Doesn't matter," the cop said. " We have no further reason to hold him."

" Shit," Melina cursed, the word tasting foreign on her tongue. Jade had the potty mouth, full of enough curse words to go between the two of them. " Jade…Jade…"

And not only was she gone, but the robot as well. The cops had speculated, given Jade's record, that she'd somehow stolen it. The over two hundred pound, eight foot robot. The only evidence left the open window leading to the fire escape. Melina doubted this theory, not only was it to heavy, but Jade knew nothing about to make the robot actually move, and even if she did, he was malfunctioning.

Unless, he started walking on his own.

 _Stupid Melina that's not possible. AI's that advanced don't…._

The door to the interrogation room opened and Andrew stepped out rubbing the back of his head irritably. When he spotted Melina he rushed forward. She took a step back, ready for any blows that might come.

" The fuck," he said. " Where is Jade? These pendejoes arrest me on charges of taking her."

" You didn't," Melina said crossing her arms against her chest. " The last person she mention seeing before disappearing was you, and she did not sound happy."

" Fucking priceless," Andrew said.

" What is?"

" That you would blame me for this."

" Who else should I blame."

He gestured to Melina with his chin. " I don't even know you."

" You don't need to," Melina snapped back. " Just know that Jade does have a life outside of you." Melina turned her back on Andrew, totally understanding what Jade said about his face inspiring anger.

The phone in bag rang, mostly angry messages and phone calls from her team members who seemed more concerned with the missing robot than they did Jade. A couple of them even outright blamed her for stealing it. Ignoring the other messages and calls, Melina called Jade for what seemed like the fiftieth time.

And like the times before, the call went straight to voice mail.

" You've reached Jade's phone. Leave a message."

" Jade…its Melina again. Please, if you get this message call me back. I doesn't matter what's happen. Just know I'm here for you. No judging remember…please Jade…whatever it is your doing…let me help."

That last part was a long shot. For the two years Melina knew Jade, letting people help her was not an easy task. Jade didn't trust anyone. And whether she meant to or not, she tended to push people away, especially when they got to close. It was surprising that Melina got even this close to her. Still they did have some very close calls that almost ended their friendship.

Still Melina was determined. She'd filed the missing person report, and called Jade's mom, who did not seem surprised, which made Melina wonder just how many similar calls she'd gotten about Jade.

" She'll show back up, one way or another," Jade's mom had said softly. " She always does."

 _One way or another…_

Melina didn't want to think about what that might mean.

Melina made it back to her apartment a little past 1 a.m. She expected at least one of the other to be there, to glower and blame her for their current predicament, but her apartment was empty. Even her useless group member and roommate Betty was gone. She suspected they were all hovered together, gathering spare parts and broken code to assemble something for tomorrow, anything to at least get a grade. Like Melina all their future lives were on the line.

 _Well Melina sometimes life has to wait._

" Call from Matt," her phone's caller id announced.

" Matt," Melina hissed as she answered.

" Melina. I made a mistake. The robot it's…its…he's…"

" Missing I know," Melina snapped. " And before you say anything I know it's my fault. And I accept all responsibility."

" No. No. He's…"

" I believe the word you are searching for," Someone said behind Melina. She turned gasping, dropping her phone in the process. " Is alive."

* * *

 **Jade**

" Let me out! You can't just fucking lock me in here!" I shouted at the door. I was currently locked in one of the abandoned church's rooms, barefoot with only the coat, blankets and an empty dresser. Or at least that's what I saw before it threw me in the room and shut the door. Now I was completely blind.

Time seemed to pass differently in the dark, and after what seemed a long while, I could no longer tell if my eyes were opened or closed. Bundled in the coat and blankets that smelled faintly of feet and burning rubber, I shivered and struggled to stay awake, afraid that if I fell asleep this time I wouldn't wake up.

If nothing else, I now had a new respect for homeless people. Being cold and underdressed in New York winter sucked.

The door opened in an flood of red light just as I was beginning to drift off.

" Get up."

Slowly I stood on shaky legs, stumbling once as my fit hit the coldness of the church tiles. The robot led me back into the main part of the church, were candles were lite, a long line of them on the main stage, above the podium, and beneath the cross. Another line at the foot of the stage, leading down onto the floor to form a wide circle.

The room was warm, and immediately I felt my body relax. Without being told I moved to the center of the circle and sat down, bundling the covers about myself, creating a bundle of pure warmth.

The robot watched me as I did this, and I turned my face away from it.

" Why?" I asked.

" I need you alive," it said. " Would you prefer to freeze to death?"

" No," I said. " Why the church?" I was half curious and have desperate to keep awake. The room might have been warm, but my body was still very much cold.

It chuckled, the sound robotic yet strangely human. Again I question just what robots should and should not be able to do. Laughter, genuine laughter, seemed like something way above their programing.

 _Melina just what have you created…_

" Humans, always needing a meaning. A explanation."

I added arrogance to its long list of already unlikeable traits Melina would definitely have to fix. That is if she didn't decided to scrap him later.

I pulled the blankets over my head and plopped down onto the cold floor, suddenly not caring whether or not it answered me.

" It is, the life and death," the robot said after a few minutes. "The beginning…and the end."

" What would a robot know about life and death," I said, cursing myself moments later for sounding for calloused and angry, when I'd already told myself I didn't care about anything the robot had to say, or anything it claimed to feel. At the end of the day it was an over calculating, walking piece of strap metal, and I had to find a way to survive long enough to get away.

" A lot," it said. " Actually." And I couldn't help but notice something like sadness in its voice, but also pain…and anger. I wondered if this robot knew the things Ultron, the real Ultron had tried to do, or even if it knew who the real Ultron was. I doubted it, seeing how it struggled to remember its own name earlier.

" The other Ultron," I said, " It…"

" There is no other Ultron," it said suddenly, " there is only me."

So it was delusional as well.

" To destroy the world," I finished.

" To save it," the robot said, surely. The sound of metal scraping and gears moving alerted me to his having moved, and I stiffened beneath the blankets.

" So you are supposed to be what? The good version of a bad robot."

" There is no-" the robot began, its voice raised in frustration, it paused then said softly. " No other versions. Only me."

" So it was you," I said, " Who tried to kill everyone…"

Was that even possible. And if it was, how did Melina bring it back? Unless it was never dead to begin with.

" Why?" I asked.

" There is no need to explain," it said. " You wouldn't understand anyway. You humans never do."

" Says the robot with an identity crisis," I resorted.

" Just," it said sighing. " Be quiet, your voice is irritating."

" I kinda understand," I said, talking despite his demand and my better judgement. " Why you…it…might want to destroy earth…to kill all humans. People are…messy…we break stuff, and we're always fighting over stupid shit. But…we-"

" Oh don't tell me," the robot said mocking enthusiasm, " Your saving grace is in your flaws? Bah. That kind of naiveté is one main reason why you need to be destroyed."

So appealing to his kinder, gentler, robot side wasn't going to work. Right.

I fell silent then, closing my eyes in attempt to think about something other than the situation I was in, or the homicidal robot just feet from where I was laying. Escape was the heaviest thing on my mind, and I wondered if the robot needed to recharge somehow, or if it ever went into sleep mode or hibernation like computers do. That would be convenient.

Convenient and probably very unlikely.

" What no resort? No defense for your fellow humans?"

" Fuck you."

And it laughed. It laughed like that was the funniest thing I'd said since it kidnapped me.

I bit my lip to keep from blurting out something more rude in return, reminding myself that if I pushed my luck to far the robot just might kill me. After all, I was just one human out of the billions he wanted to kill. Or at least thought he did. I still wasn't convinced that this was the same robot.

"Wonderful response," It said still laughing, " Very convincing. Almost had me going there."

Too bad I wasn't joking. I meant every word I said. So any attempt at trying to understand, maybe even like the robot was going out of the window. I had the strong urge to punch it, almost as strong an urge as I had with Andrew. The robot hadn't quite gotten there yet, which was good. No one deserved to be on Andrew's level with me.

"Human has to take a leak," I said sitting up and turning to glare at it.

It cocked its head to the side, eyes studying me as if it was trying to figure out whether or not I was joking or this was another insult. Uncomfortable with its staring I stood suddenly, regretting it the moment I did, as I had to wobble to keep myself upright.

I started towards the back where I guessed the nearest bathroom was, leaving him to either follow, or attempt to stop me.

* * *

 **Ultron**

Humans.

Humans were strange, unbearably simple creatures. And Ultron's research showed him that each handled stress and fear differently. Most screamed, or cried, or did both. Others fell into a stupor. Some stepped up, swallowed their fear and faced it with courage.

This human, this girl, excessively groomed herself. Like a cat. Running fingers through hair. Hair that thing humans had to keep themselves warm, that thing…things they used to tell each other apart , and make themselves appear more appealing.

He had to admit, even for him, designed as he was to quickly differentiate and separate every human from another, hair, or the lack thereof, helped to tell them apart.

Ultron hadn't imagined hair to be an important factor in the new world he was to help bring about. But who knew, change was funny like that. For now it was a superficial flaw that humans held in too high a regard.

" Times up," he said opening the door to the restroom and holding it open with one hand. The girl turned to him, glaring, then surprised, as if she'd forgotten he'd given her time limit. Five minutes, more than enough time. She should have been grateful he'd even given her that. A bucket, would have been more than enough for her human needs.

Her hands fell from her hair, and her gaze lowered down into the sink where pieces of fallen stray hair lingered, discarded, shed, useless. She started towards him, then hesitated pulling back, one hand bracing the sink.

" Kill me," she said, voice barely above a whisper. " You are going to do it anyway. Why wait….why linger…."

She said this as if she wanted it.

When everything in her facial expression, and body language, spoke differently they spoke the truth. She wanted to live.

" Not yet," he said more as a reminder to himself, than for her. And she nodded, following him out, before he could think to grab her arm and pull her along. He did not like doing that. It required him to check his own strength, even in his current weakened form, he could easily break her arm if he was not careful. The bones there were not exactly the strongest.

Her body was not like Wanda's or Pietro, made to withstand more than the average human body, made to endure.

This girl was weak. And he had no room for weakness.

The girl fell into a steady step in front of him, blanket bellowing behind her, wrapped tight about her form, like dirt colored robes.

They reached the light of the main, room, illuminated by candles.

She did not go back to her spot in the center of the candles, but stepped in front of the cross. Ultron stopped where he was, observing, as she reached out one tattooed hand and touched the rotting wood, lips moving as she spoke words even to silent for him to hear.

A prayer perhaps.

Then she turned, and sat down in her space at the center of the candles. Silent.

Just sitting.

Like a waiting sacrifice to some cruel God. Head downcast, only the slight chattering of teeth and the roughness of breath to signal she was still alive.

Silence.

Thick.

Satisfying.

Lonely.

He didn't like it.

There would be silence, as deep as the one that surrounded him now after the end. He would have to get used to it, at least until the new start, the new beginning.

He walked past her to his work station. Only a few days left until he would have his new form, his new body. It would not be perfect, but it would be better than this.

Beautiful.

He snuck a glance at the girl. She'd leaned forward one candle in hand to relight another that had gone out. Shaking hands cupped around the tiny flame, she blew softly, frowning as the flame refused to catch.

 _" A thing isn't beautiful because it lasts…"_

" Shut up!" He'd gone so long without that voice that dreaded voice in his head trying to reason, to turn him from his mission. Damn him.

The girl flinched and the candle hit the ground with a wet " plop," rolling to his foot where it stopped.

" Shit," she cursed wiping her hand against the covers, leaving a thick white residue against the fabric.

 _"People are…messy…we break stuff…"_

" Sorry," he blurted reaching down to receive the candle, to hand it to her, but stopping midway when he caught her gaze. Her eyes glazed over with fear.

He stood back up, straighten his form, winching as the metal that made up his body creaked and groaned, obviously not completely strong enough to hold his weight. He suspected, if not for his titanium bones, this form would have already fallen apart. And here he was judging the human for her weakness.

Still it wasn't like she could change bodies. Make herself better.

" You look confused," he said. " What did you expect me to be heartless, cruel without reason?"

She said nothing, just contused to stare.

" Well I am not," he said. " Cruelty, real cruelty would to let the world continue on as it is. Without fixing it. Without making it better. I strive to do both."

Silence.

" Liberation," he continued. " You should be grateful. You get to witness it all firsthand." He lifted his arms and spread them as if holding the earth, massive, and full of potential. " Too see what I've done."

" I have a family you know," she said gruffly, " A daughter."

" I know," he said. She didn't have to remind him. Even without the internet, he knew as much. Had heard her speaking about them, wide awake and in her sleep.

" So how can you expect me to want to watch as you kill them?"

" You won't have much of a choice," he resorted. Already he grew tired of talking to her, of trying to reason. Of course she wouldn't see the good in humanities death. The glorious future it would bring.

" Don't you have a family? People you care about?" Her tone was inquiring, curious, a far cry from the girl she was earlier.

" I did, once," he said. " But not anymore."

" Really?" She said not sounding convinced, " What happened…to them?"

" Should it matter?" He snapped. He didn't want to talk about them. Those unworthy sheep. They hadn't seen the bigger picture. They didn't truly understand.

" No," she said. " It shouldn't…" She drew a little into herself, pulling the blankets over her form tighter. Like a barrier, a protection.

 _" A blanket against the world."_

Another pause. More silence. Deep and considering. Ultron let his hands fiddle with the metal on the table, wanting something, anything to fill the empty void.

" It sounds very lonely," she said.

" Yes," he answered.

" What happened…" she whispered, her voice little more than air. His hands stopped in their fiddling.

 _What happened._

 _What…_

 _What…_

 _What…_

" To you," she continued. "To make you hate us…"

" I do not-" he began. His head was buzzing. Buzzing. Buzzing. Like—like bees. He gripped both sides of his head, " I d-do—do—not-"

To much. It was all to much, and happening to fast. System overload. Static clouded his vision, and he glanced over to see the girl was standing, just feet from him, eyes moving from him to the tools on the table. " S-stay away!" he yelled flinging out one arm and swiping the air.

She took a hesitate step back.

" I should," she said. " I…"

She drifted over to the table, narrowly avoiding him as she lashed out again. Her hands finding a crowbar.

He expected her to bring it down, to hit him with it. But she merely gave him one wary glance and ran in the opposite direction.

" Co-come—" he struggled to say.

Darkness consumed part of his vision.

The sound of wood being splintered cut through the air, followed by the sound of a joints creaking as a door was being opened.

He struggled to his feet, rushing forward, falling at her feet as his lower body gave out.

" No."

The door opened, letting in a flood of light and shadows. Eyes the color of jade looked down at him. They echoed…fear. And something else. Something unwanted. Something weak.

Pity.

Then she was gone.

And once again darkness fell.

* * *

 **Jade**

I lay curled, without my blankets in a phone booth, the phone tucked between my neck and shoulder. Shivering, and sucking air in through my teeth as I struggled to keep awake. I'd shoved what little change I had in my pocket into the phone booth, and called the first number that came to mind. Hours may have passed as I sat there, flinching at every sound, waiting for someone, anyone to come and get me.

The person on the other end had answered in curses, demanding that I tell them where I was.

" Anything. Anything," they said. " Any street signs…landmarks. Fuck."

I'd glanced around, telling them everything I saw.

Lights bared into the booth, bright and blinding, and I drew back, cowering against the broken glass walls, cutting my skin. A figure appeared in front of me, tall and large.

" Please," I begged.

They grabbed me, warm hands coming up against my arms, scraping against the fresh bruises there. I started to fight. Slapping against them uselessly, screaming as they dragged me upwards.

" Lola. Its me. Andrew."

" Andrew…" I said. His hands trailed through my hair, pushing it back away from my face. " Andrew. Andrew."

" Yeah." He said. " Its me. I got you."

" It…"

" Shh.." Andrew said picking me up. I felt small in his arms, weightless. Suddenly I was reminded of before. Of how we used to be.

" It," I said. The robot. The look on its face…how'd it screamed, as if it was in pain.

 _The way he looked...at me…like…_

I hit the warmth and softness of a car seat, and I immediately curled against it.

" Don't fucking sleep," Andrew said. " You might have hypo-"

" I'm ok," I said coughing. " Just go…"

" What happened?" Andrew said putting the car in drive.

" I don't…" I said. " I don't really know."

* * *

 **Yerp. Another chapter done. I am seriously on a roll. Then again for this story my creative juices are flowing. I can't say the same about my other stories...which I will get back to eventually...**

 **Anyway so now Jade is free. Yay...and Ultron is...dead ( Question Mark?)**

 **I guess you guys will just have to wait until next chapter to find out...because I'm EVIL HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**

 **So yeah.**

 **Review and stuff. I would really appreciate that.**

 **Does anyone else want a Ultron Plushie...because I do. It would be undeniably cute.**


	4. Clean Slate

**Yes Another chapter. Yay. ENjoy and stuff.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers. Or Ultron.**

 **Warning: A bit of salty stuff here. You've been warned and stuff. Nothing to serious, but deserves a bit of forewarning.**

* * *

 **Jade**

When I opened my eyes again I was in my bed, covers piled on and around me. The smell of something cooking was in the air, the scent spicy and crisp. My stomach growled. Across the room the bathroom door was open, and I could hear the shower running.

I stood, stretching, sighing in relief as my bones cracked in reply, and my knots loosened.

Grabbing a spare pair of my boots, I slipped them on, and made a point to grab my coat this time. The chill was gone, but it could easily return, and this time I might not be as lucky.

" Hey."

I turned to see Andrew at the door of the bathroom, towel around his waist, bare upper body wet and steaming.

" Hey," I said, slowly threading one arm through the leather coat.

" Are you going…somewhere?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows in that way he had, indicating he was confused.

" I…um…" I sniffed then coughed. " Was going to go down to the corner store and pick up a pack of Newport," I lied.

" Didn't know you still smoked," he laughed.

"Occasionally," I said. " When I'm stressed."

He moved towards me, and I took a step back.

" I have a few," he said reaching beside the bed and picking up a pair of his pants. He dug through the back packet and pulled out a pack of Newports. Opening the top he showed me the contents inside.

" Just three," I said as he threw it to me.

" You want more?" He asked.

" No," I said shoving the Newports in my pocket. " I think…I think this will be enough."

" So you stressed huh?" He closing the space between us in one long stride. Standing so close I could smell him, a mix of my Dove soup and his aftershave.

" Yeah," I said. " A little."

" You know what would probably help?" He asked smiling.

I glared up at him, already knowing where this was going.

" If you," he said leaning closer, " Took a fucking shower." He put a hand on my head, and ruffled my hair, " You don't smell to hot."

" Ha Ha," I said attempting to push his hand away, he kept them firmly where they were, " I'll shower later or something. I need to-"

" Your face is cold," he said frowning, his fingertips moving to my cheek.

" Y-Yeah," I said. " Listen…I need…to."

" What?" He asked.

I let my gaze wonder to the door. I needed to get to Melina, to make sure she was ok. But I didn't have my phone. " Call Melina," I said. " To make sure she knows I'm ok. Give me your phone."

He took his hand off my cheek, sighed and walked back to his pants. Pulling out his phone he threw it to me. I dialed Melina's number, and Andrew trailed back over, watching me.

The phone rang a couple of times before going to voice mail. I tried again with the same result.

" Shit…" I cursed.

" She might not recognize the number," Andrew suggested.

Or she was in trouble. Either way I had to get her to her, before she made a mistake…well another mistake. I had to tell her the robot was still in the church, and with any luck it was still malfunctioning.

" Yeah," I said. I texted her, making sure to note that it was me that was trying to call, and demanding that she call back as soon as possible.

" We can go by in the morning," Andrew said. " When you're better."

" I feel fi-" I started to say then stopped myself. No amount of words would change Andrew's mind, and in the state I was in, there was no way I could outrun, nor fight him. If I made a bolt for the door, he would catch me, kicking and screaming he would hold me here. My landlord would most likely call the cops, and I would be in more of a step back than I already was. " Yeah," I said pushing my hair back with one hand. " I think I'm going to take a shower then."

I trailed past him to the shower, pulling off my clothes as I went, leaving a trail to the bathroom.

I needed to get to Melina, and I needed Andrew out of the way. I considered the many different ways I could possibly knock him out, without doing any real damage, or somehow detain him, while I showered. Each seemed more crazy and insane than the next. I'd fought Andrew before, rolling on the bed and floor, pushing each other up against walls and doors, and even then I knew he was holding back from seriously hurting me. To try that now would mean seriously trying to kill him.

I finished my shower, wrapped myself in a fresh towel. If nothing else he was right, a shower did make me feel a whole lot better, and stronger.

" Do you still like _Guisado de res con cervasa,_ " he called from his place at the stove.

" Uh…yeah," I said.

He turned to me grinning. " You don't have any peppers so-"

I approached him in one quick stride. " Why are you doing this?"

He turned back to the pot. " I owe you…Lo-Jade," he said. " For everything you've been through. Everything I've done. Can't see you go back down that path. You a fucking gem," he said. His hand tightened around the wooden spoon he used to stir the soap, his grip so hard the wood groaned. " You know that? And I'm goin do everything to make sure you shine."

I sighed and glanced away from his face. Andrew…always good with words. For a moment I wondered what happened to us? What made us stray the way we did? There was once a time when I genuinely loved him…wholeheartedly.

" You don't believe me," he said gesturing to me with his chin.

Once. But I didn't have time to deal with that now. I had to help my best friend, and straighten out all this mess before people got hurt, a lot of people.

I reached out and grabbed the back of his head with one hand. The other went to his bare chest. Lunging up on my tippy toes I pressed my lips to his. He gasped surprised pulling back slightly, then remembering the pot behind him, stepped forward, pushing himself into the embrace.

" Jade…" he mumbled into my mouth, trying to pull away. I tightened my grip. Ran my tongue against his top lip. He pulled back roughly, holding both my bruised arms in his hands, his grip tightening and untightening. " Fuck…" he whispered, eyes downcast. " Fuck…"

" What?" I asked breathlessly. This had to work, this was the only way. If this didn't, then I would have to resort to running. " You don't want to?"

" I know…" he said pressing his forehead against mine. " I know you…your trying to dis-" I kissed him again, interrupting his words. He gave in the second time, pulling me close to him, crushing me in his arms. The way he kissed me was rough, and urgent, full of need. He took a step to the side, pressing me up against the refrigerator, and I lifted my legs to latch around his hips.

 _Calm Jade…_ I thought, as I willed my heart and breath to settle. I couldn't get to lost in him, in the feeling of his body, hard and muscled body pressed against mine.

He pulled back, his breath heavy and labored, eyes glazed over with desire, and I ran my fingers through his shortened hair, feeling the rough prickles as they resisted against the skin of my palm. " Shit," he cursed, trailing down to my neck, pushing his hands up under the towel, pulling it loose from my form.

" Wait," I said pressing my hands against his chest. " We should…" he placed a kiss against my jaw. " In the bed…" I managed to mumble out as hands came up to press against my breast.

He said nothing in agreement, but peeled me from the refrigerator to carry me to the bed. My back hit the covers and I moved backwards, the covers trailing with me as they clung to the water still on my skin. He crawled on the bed after me, hands coming up to grip my ankles and pull me back, with a growl that was half frustration and half need. He loomed over me, lips trailing downwards to my stomach, over my abdomen.

I gasped despite myself. I'd forgotten what all this would involve, that Andrew did not have the same idea that I had. I wanted to tire him out, and he wanted me to want this…

 _How long had it been since I did this…_ Andrew was surely the last guy…the only guy I'd slept with. There was a few times with Melina, but that was merely as a stress relief. Not something we did all the time. I knew it was loneness making me feel this way, making me selfish, hungry and forgetful. But I couldn't help it.

He waited until I was squirming and breathless before he moved back up to loom over me again, smiling and licking his lips, and I pressed both my hands to his shoulders, bringing myself up, and pushing away from him. He tensed confused for a moment, before realizing what I was doing and letting himself fall backwards.

"Your… something…else…Lola," he said breathlessly.

I straddled him.

"Yeah?" I said my fingers moving hastily to unfasten his pants.

"Yeah…" He whispered, sitting up to tangle his hands in my hair, and press his forehead against mine. He closed his eyes, " _Te am_ …" he began and I kissed him quiet.

I didn't need any declarations of love right now.

* * *

I waited until Andrew's breath settled against my back, signaling he was fast and deep in sleep. One of his hands lingered against the curve of my hip, the other tangled in my curls.

" Andrew," I said in a half whisper.

He didn't answer. I took that as a sign, and gently slid his hand off my hip. The hand in my hair was next, and I slid carefully away, stopping every time he shifted, or grumbled. One leg successfully off the bed I rolled until I was completely on the floor. Crawling I gathered my scattered clothes, making a point to be as silent as possible.

Andrew never did sleep long. He would wake up in a couple of hours. And he would be angry. Angry because I'd left. Angry because he was weak, and I'd saw his weakness, and yet again used it against him.

 _" I'd missed falling asleep with the taste of you in my mouth,"_ Andrew had said in my ear just before he fell asleep. Just like that he'd made things ten times more complicated than they had to be.

" Not right now Jade," I whispered to myself as I grabbed up his keys and cellphone. Melina still hadn't called back and when I tried to call her again, it rang then went straight to voicemail.

So either she was purposely ignoring me, or she really was in danger. Either way I had to talk to her. I continuously called her as I made my way to her apartment, even as I burst into her open apartment, calling her name.

" You!"

" Mark," I said stepping into the dark apartment. Melina's desk had been cleared, and only her laptop remained, opened, Mark sitting in front of it.

" Where is she?" I asked.

" I don't understand," Mark said. " I thought you were…and…"

" Where is Melina?"

" She went to take the core," Mark said. " The improved core to-" He trailed off his eyes going wide behind his glasses.

" Mark," I shouted grabbing the back of the chair and forcing him to face me " Mark, listen I need to know where Melina is…I think-I think she's in danger."

" My name is Matt," he said.

" Matt," I said, " where is Melina?"

" I don't know," he said. " She didn't tell me."

" The school," I said, " Maybe she's at the school." I started for the door.

" No, not the school," Matt said. " She would have said the school. She's somewhere else. Maybe we should…call the cops. Maybe."

" No," I said pacing in front of the door. Although calling the cops would have been the most reasonable solution. And the solution that was most likely to get me arrested and questioned. That would only delya my search further, and I doubted they would believe me about the talking, sentient robot.

" Why?" I said, forgetting for a moment who I was talking to. " Why does it want to kill us? Who made it like that?"

I was still refusing to believe Melina could make something like that. Something that believed kindness was in killing, and mercy was slaughter.

" We didn't," Matt said.

I didn't ask him to elaborate, and I didn't care. All I could think about was making sure Melina was safe. Everything else could wait.

That meant going back. Back to that place of rot and mold, cold, empty and silent, the exact things I hated. My skin tingled with the thought of it, and my chest suddenly felt heavy, my breath cold, as if someone had filled my insides with ice.

" Where are you going?" Matt called after me as I turned to leave. He started to follow and I held up my hand.

" Have you met it yet?" I asked.

" No," Matt said. " But I know…what he is."

" I need you to make a program or something…to shut it down."

" Working on it now. Do you think Melina…" he trailed off, glancing back down at his computer.

" I'm going back."

" Back?" Matt said.

" Here," I said grabbing his hand and a pen and scribbling Andrew's phone number on his hand. " Call me here, if Melina comes back."

" Ok," he said. " Be careful."

I almost laughed. Careful. Careful went out of the window a long time ago.

" Right," I mumbled. " Careful."

* * *

 **Ultron**

Images flashed in his mind, the memories of recent events along past.

The people he hated. The once he once cared about. All flashing. Flashing, in his mind. Blurred and distant.

Did they not see what he was trying to do, to accomplish?

There were others as well. Not so familiar. A little girl, all pigtails, and missing teeth, jumping around in a purple frilled dress. Laughing beside her, a young woman with eyes the color of Jade. The clip played, mouths moving, no sound escaping.

The person… _smaller person…smaller people…_ Looked like her mother. Small and weak.

This was. That is….

"Download nearly complete."

He curled his hands into a fist. Already he felt better, stronger.

" Jade…" Melina said. " Are you sure she's-"

" How long is this going to take," Ultron interrupted.

" This is the best technology they have to offer for the student labs. And the easiest to hack." She typed a few lines of codes. The download paused. " I need to make sure Jade is ok. I want to talk to her."

 _Humans._

He stood. Looming over her.

Young, brilliant, rising scientist. She could be useful in bringing about the end, and shaping the beginning. It would be a waste to kill her now. He took a step towards her, and she took a step back. He brought his finger down on the keypad, starting the code.

" I assure you. She's fine."

* * *

 **Jade**

" Shit."

The church was empty.

I checked the back rooms just to make sure, coming up with nothing.

Andrew's phone rang, the ringtone echoing down the halls, seeming to shake the walls. I did not recognize the number. But I answered anyway.

" Hello."

" Jade."

" Melina. Shit, are you ok?"

" Yeah," she answered.

" Where are you?"

" Back at my apartment, Matt's here with me." I felt a sigh of relief leave me. She was ok, and she was back at home. Still…

" What about the robot…it…"

" About that," Melina said, then added, " Wait where are you?"

" The church," I said.

" Where?"

" Nevermind. I'm heading over to your place now. Where is the…the robot…"

" Well," Melina said. " I may have, uploaded him into a new body."

" Right," I mumbled. So the homicidal robot was back on the prow, and with his new body, he had a new chance at destroying the world. " So he's gone."

" For now yeah. Jade…I'm scared I think we should try and tell someone. You know like Stark or the police or…"

" No. Just hold off," I said. " Let me return Andrew's car, and phone, and I'll be right over."

" Jade that still doesn't answer where you've been."

" Yeah, it doesn't," I said bending down to pick up a burnt out candle. " It's a long story."

Andrew as waiting outside when I finally made it back to my apartment. Arms folded, he leaned against a lamp post.

" Joy rides over," I said sliding his keys back into his pocket.

" Jade," he called.

" Don't ok."

" No," he said. " Last night, was that just to-"

" I needed air," I said interrupting him. " Don't read to much into it."

He wasn't backing down. Not that I expected him too. If nothing else, Andrew's one enduring trait was his determination.

" So you steal my car, and my phone."

" Needed a phone," I said. " Couldn't find mine."

"Jade." He blocked my path. " What's his name?"

" His name?" I snapped. " What the fuck are you talking about now Andrew. There is no one."

" Then where were you last night. I picked you up, half frozen, mumbling about a robot. The last time you were like that, you checked yourself into rehab."

" I'm not back on the stuff if that's what you're asking," I said. " I learned my lesson the last time."

He didn't believe me, I could see in his eyes, the expression on his face. I didn't blame him. Last night was strange, and I offered no explanation. If I were him I would think I was back on the stuff too.

" I want Jahari back," I said. " I'm not relapsing anytime soon. Mom won't ever let me forget it. Yeah?"

" Yeah," he said still reluctant.

" Listen," I said. " I just stopped by to drop off your keys. I need to go back to Melina's."

" I'll drive you then," he said a little to eagerly, " I have work in a couple of hours."

" Nah," I said. " Not a good idea. I'm going to talk to the tech nerds, try and convince them I didn't steal their project. You would only stoke the fire. "

"Me," he said taking a step closer to me, filling the two feet gap I'd purposely put between us. "Stoking the fire?"

" Yeah," I said taking a step back, plastering a mock playful smile on my face. Anything to keep him off my back. " See you tonight?"

" Fuck yeah," Andrew said. " Maybe, we can talk. You know figure some shit out."

In Andrew language that meant talk about our relationship, and formulate a plan on how we were going to get our daughter back. Aimlessly attempt to form a family. He realized that my sleeping with his last night was a plan to get away, but he also saw it as a bridge to opportunity. An opportunity I wasn't sure I wanted to take.

" Yeah," I said pulling my jacket tighter and turning on my heels. Around the corner police sirens wailed, appearing adjacent to the street I was walking on. It slowed to a crawl as it reached my apartment, stopping completely at the front, right behind Andrew's car.

An officer stepped out of the car and approached Andrew. I already knew what he asking.

I pulled my hood up over my head, and tucked my hands into my pocket, quickening my pace as I walked down the block towards Melina.

So much for a clean enough slate to get Jahari back.

* * *

 **So not much happened in this chapter. But you know guys sometimes it be like that. Can't have heart pounding action every chapter. Anyway. Some more character stuff. Not that much Ultron but I promise more of him next chapter. So please don't kill me guys.**

 **Anyway until then, I love all you peeps.**

 **Feedback is much wanted and appreciated.**

 **I STILL WANT MY PLUSHIE!**


	5. That Name is like a Curse

**Busy. Busy. Work. Work.**

 **But here's another chapter. Yay!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers!**

* * *

 **Jade**

Police were pulling out of the parking lot of Melina's apartment when I finally got within walking distance.

" Shit," I cursed moving quickly to duck into a Chinese place. Back to the door I picked up a menu and pretended to glance through its contents, as the policemen drove slowly by.

" You ready to order?" The lady behind the countered gestured to me, note pad in hand.

" Um no, thanks," I said handing her the menu and stalking back outside to Melina's apartment. I expected her and others to be there as I answered the door, but it was Matt who answered the door.

" Man hunt's over," I said pushing past Matt inside. " I'm here Melina."

Melina was sitting at her computer, typing furiously. " Its not about you being missing-well it is…but the others they-"

" And you," I interrupted. " I didn't steal your fucking robot Melina. You know it, you both do. He fucking stood up and walked out, kidnapped me, and held me cold and dying in a fucking church, if anyone should be angry out of their mind, it's me."

" I know," Melina said. " I know it's a difficult situation for you, for all of us. We've lost a lot of points, but we'll in the finals. So that should help."

" The finals?" I gasped out. I couldn't believe what I hearing. She was still thinking about the contest. "Did you not hear a word I just said?"

" I did, its hard not too."

" Then what the fuck Melina."

" At least its enough," Melina said, " We got the robot body back, so at least the others will be off your back."

" Then why were there policemen here?"

" Your still marked missing Jade. Your mom is trying to find you now. Go figure."

Mom…So now she knew about everything too. Or at least enough to think that I was back in trouble again.

" You got your robot back," I said running a hand through my hair, pushing the curled locks away from my face. " And the robot got a new body."

" Yes," she sighed out.

" And how the fuck did you manage that? When it took you months to form his first body?"

" I…he…we may have tapped into the security system…and-"

" Fuck," I said. " Fuck. Fuck. Melina. Reporting this is starting to seem more and more desirable by the second."

" About that…" Melina said her voice trailing. I turned to her, I knew what that meant. There was something else, something important she was hesitating to tell me.

" What?"

" He said we would be in touch.

" Shit." I started to pace. " Did it threaten to hurt you? If you told?"

" In so many not words," she said. " And he was very persuasive."

I understood that as much as anyone. The robot had threatened me with words, but the silence and glances were worst. They spoke of unknown things. Broken and ruined. I felt my skin crawl.

 _Right…so tell and we're fucked…don't tell and…_

" Ok. Then keep quiet. Until something comes up. Until it…contacts you, or something."

" So we just lay low, pretend like nothing happening?"

" Yeah," I said. " Yeah. At least until we know something. Anything. Go back to your contest or whatever…and…" I trailed off. I hadn't he slightest idea on what to do. We weren't dealing with street matters, we were talking about a piece of walking metal.

" And what about you?"

" Manhunts over," I said. " I'm turning myself into the police."

* * *

 **Ultron**

 _"_ _God Melina do we have to do this now?"_

 _"_ _Yeah. Now first question."_

 _"_ _Their not to going to pick me."_

 _"_ _Of course not. But just for shits and giggles."_

 _"_ _Ok shoot."_

 _"_ _Places you've always wanted to visit."_

 _A laugh. " Besides the corner store."_

 _"_ _Jade."_

 _"_ _Fine. France. Hong Kong.. Greece."_

 _"_ _Really?"_

 _"_ _Yeah. I want to take Jahari someday. And I've never been on a plane."_

 _"_ _And how will you feel, being the first illegal Alien to step foot on a plane."_

 _"_ _Hopefully not scared shi-" A pause, another laugh, then realization. " You know what Melina. Fuck you."_

The video cut to black as Jade's hand came up against the screen.

Smiling.

Laughing.

Things that humans did.

Human things.

 _"_ _What did we do to make you hate us?"_

What hadn't they done? The news was riddled with reports of upcoming race wars, needless murders, and rapes-. And it had only grown worst in his absence.

He pulled the chip from his chest. The tiny piece of plastic with the thin strip of metal that held memories in a series of code. He curled his fist around it, intending to crush it, finally destroy it. After all he didn't need it, he had his new form, an almost infinite amount of memory. This chip was superficial.

Superficial and useless.

The computer beside him beeped, signaling yet another body was done. A new form.

He opened his hand, revealing a still intact SD card. He would keep it a little longer, there might still be useful information on it, more contacts, to continue on with his plan.

He slipped the chip back into the slot in his chest. Should its usefulness run out, he would destroy it.

Another beep from the computer, then a slight fading in his vision as a page from the internet was pulled up. An amended police report on a missing person that turned themselves in.

Jade Wilson.

It was no hard task to access he security camera's within the police station, most were wired within a less than secure wireless network, and while his access to the internet was limited strictly to computer use only, it was not completely restricted. He scanned all the cameras, moving from room to room, until he found the one he was looking for.

" We're still waiting to see if the students press charges," an officer said.

" I didn't steal their robot," Jade said crossing her arms against her chest.

" So your telling me it just up and walked out?"

" Something like that," she snuffed shifting her feet against the top of the table.

" Feet down," the officer barked. " Jus so ya know, stealin and returin still counts as stealin. Your lucky they've decided not to press charges."

" Ok. Whatever can I go now."

Sighing the officer ran a hand though his tuff of greying hair. " Yea. Yea. Free to leave. Make sure to stop by the front desk sign the release forms."

" Yep," she said standing and following the officer out.

Ultron had expected her to confess, to tell the officer everything that happened. That would be in her greatest interest after all.

Expectations and reality. Such a fragile line. Always being faded, and crossed. He should have known better to expect such a thing. After all they wouldn't believe her, why would she waste her time?

She signed the paperwork, and left, shoving both hands in his pockets. Outside the building she pulled out a cell phone, the screen bright blue as it rang, and answered it.

" Really?" She sounded surprised. " Wait, you're not fucking with me are you? I don't know Andrew do you? Yeah. I'm heading over now."

She sped up her pace, disappearing from the view of the cameras into the street, hood up.

Moving.

Moving.

The type of human to never stay grounded for long. Their lives were so short and weak, any day could be their last. Why should she?

He felt another bit of his consciousness come to life, away from the room he was in. One of his drones sending a distress signal.

Someone was trying to track him. Well maybe not him, but perhaps the IP addresses currently locked into the computers he was using to access the internet since he could not physically access it himself with this own body. A barbaric method compared to what he was used to, but efficient for the time being.

But he was careful, hiding all traces, invisible unless the tracker knew exactly what they were looking for. Exactly who.

One of the humans. It had to be, only three knew of his existence.

Soon to be only two. Perhaps even one, depending on the circumstances.

" Always something," he said calling forth his drones.

* * *

 **Jade**

Andrew got my job back. I would be grateful to him if he wasn't the one who made me lose it in the first place. Still I had to give him at least a little credit, Andrew was good at messing things up, not fixing them, and the fact that he may have successfully did this, might mean he was getting better.

" We have to talk about this later," he said before I hung up. Meaning he wasn't happy about my line of work, and would try his hardest to convince me to quit. We would have that talk later, and I would try my hardest to convince him it wasn't like I liked my line of work either, but it paid.

I came to the back of the club, using my key card to swipe my way in. Soft music played in the background, and the hum of the some of the girl's in the dressing room radiated through the walls as I made my way to Mr. Anderson's office.

Jeffery was in his office when I knocked on the door, he turned surprised when he noticed it was me standing there ,and not one of the other girls.

"Hi," I said waving, and putting on one of my best ' glad to be here' smiles.

" Good to have you back Jade," Mr. Anderson said. " Can you work tonight?"

" Yeah, sure. Am I dancing tonight or-"

" Waiting tables. I have enough dancers tonight. That alright with you?"

" Yep," I said.

Waiting tables was my least favorite job. I'd rather be in the back doing dish, at least with that I didn't have to talk to anybody or pretend to be nice. On the stage, I danced with the persona of the tattooed bad girl, ' naughty is nice,' as coined by Anderson, so no smiling or niceness was required, and I could for the most part pretend that the men below me didn't exist.

" Jade," Jeffery called. He came rushing down the hall, stopping right in front of me. " I thought you were gone for good."

" Yeah well," I said shrugging. " Once a stripper always a stripper."

" That's not what I meant," he said.

" Then what did you mean?"

He fell silent. " Nothing. I just-"

" You just…" I said waving my hand in a motion for him to hurry it along. I could never quite figure out what Jeffery's deal was.

" Nothing," he said softly. " Just glad your back." He hit my arm softly, then continued past me leaving me in the hall. I watched him go for a moment, before following him down the hall into the dressing room. A few of the girls were in there, doing their hair and makeup, and they turned as I arrived.

I waved, and smiled curtly as they welcomed me back.

" I'm doing this for Jahari, I'm going this for Jahari," I chanted under my breath as I dressed. It was going to be a long night."

" Long island ice tea at table fifteen," Stephone said as he shuffled past me, hips swaying to the beat of the music.

" Heard," I said turning swiftly to sit a liquor shot on the table of the nearest patron.

" Like now," Stephone shouted across the room.

" I'm doing this for Jahari," I mumbled under my breath as I snatched the long island ice tea off the counter, nearly spilling it onto the lap of a patron, and placing it on my tray. Since seven the club had been bustling with patrons, and I was rusty at waiting tables. Not to mention waiting tables didn't give nearly as many tips. And for what little tips we did get, we had to split at the end of the night.

" Long island ice tea," I said sitting the beverage on the table of the patron without looking at him. I closed my eyes and smiled. " Anything else I can get you sir?"

" No," said a woman's voice. I opened my eyes. " But later on I'm sure I can think of something."

She wore a tight black dress, her red hair was cut into a bob.[i] She was pretty, gorgeous actually, yet somewhat familiar. I chopped it down to her probably being a regular.

" Enjoy," I said grinning stupidly. Girl or boy I would flirt myself into more tips if necessary. I gave her one last smile before moving to the next table, stopping momentarily as she lifted her hand to slip a hundred dollar bill into my hand.

" For you," she said her perky lips curling into a smile.

" Thanks," I said slowly curling my fingers around the bill. She stood, her heels causing her to loom over me. Without them I guessed she would be about my height.

" Don't mention it," she said standing, picking up her clutch purse off the table and walking past me. " See you later."

" Have a nice-" I began when someone tapped my shoulder. " What?"

Miranda stood behind me. " Dress up, you've been requested in room fifteen."

" Oi," I said waving the receipt at Miranda who was carrying drinks. " I'm on the floor remember."

"They requested you," she snorted.

" They? They who?"

" How the fuck should I know? Don't you know them, they requested you by name."

 _By name…_

" Did Anderson approve this?"

Miranda rolled her eyes impatiently. " He was the one who sent me to tell you."

 _Who…_

" Just go get dressed ok? I have more orders to fill."

I never got private requests for me by name. I felt my gut clinch.

" Yeah. Ok," I said. " I'll be there in a minute."

I went to the private room to scope out my clientele, ignoring the shouts of the patrons around me, both at the dancers and me to the stop and take their orders. Outside the closed curtain of the private room two men in black suits stood on either side of the door, looking both intimidating and ready. I slowed my shuffle to a stop. Men in suits guarding a door usually meant someone important was inside a room. Someone important that asked to speak to me.

I turned on my heel to go to the dressing room, phone in hand. I dialed Melina's number.

She answered immediately.

" Are you ok?"

" Yeah. Um…listen I'm at the club…"

" You got your job back?"

" Something like that."

" Then what's the problem?"

" I've been requested to dance."

"And…"

" And there are strange men in black suits guarding the door. Meaning someone…probably someone important is inside." I took a deep breath. " I never get requested by important people. Meaning…"

" Oh shit…" Melina said.

" Yeah," I said.

" You think this is a Ultron thing?"

" I think it's a Ultron thing," I said.

" Right. Right," Melina said. I could hear her tapping the desk next to the keyboard with her fingernails, a habit she had when she was thinking. " Right…Right…Where are you?"

" Outside the dressing room."

" Can you get out of it. You know make up some excuse," she paused for a moment. " Oh tell them you've contracted Cyclosporiasis."

" What?"

" Yeah that should work."

" No. What the fuck is that?"

" It's a parasite," she said. " That you get from drinking…sewage…water…"

" Eww no. What the hell Melina?"

" Then tell them you have diarrhea. No one wants a ticking time bomb dancing on top of them."

" I'm starting to think you're not taking this very seriously," I snapped.

" Well what do you want to do? Run? If these people are after you, they already know where you work. Your name. Running won't work."

" Running has never failed me before."

" No…maybe you should go."

" Go…go to them?"

" It might just be a false alarm and one of them just happened to see you dance before and want you to dance now."

" Or they could blow my brains out the moment I step in."

" Yeah or-"

" No phone Jade," Jeffery called as he passed me in the hall. "At least not where the cameras can see you."

" Sorry," I called over my shoulder."

" Maybe your right," Melina was saying as I finally put the phone back up to my ear. " Running might be good."

" I'm going in," I said. I mentally kicked myself as I said the words. I'm going in. Going in to danger. Seemed like I was doing that a lot lately. Courting danger. Just like the good ole days.

" Keep me on the line," Melina said. " Just in case. I'll mute my side."

" Cant," I said opening the door to the dressing room. " Nowhere to store my phone."

" What? Your butt hole not big enough or something?"

" You know-" I started.

" I know you love me," she said. She paused for a long moment, letting silence pass between us, thick and full of fear. At the end of the day neither of us knew what we were doing. One thing, had turned our world upside down.

" Yeah," I said breaking the silence. " In the meantime try and figure out just how he came back to life, if it's not to dangerous."

" Way ahead of you," she said. " Be careful."

" Yeah…" I said. " You to."

* * *

Maybe it was because I never really got used to the ugly motif of the private rooms, with its cliché burgundy drapes, lambs, and chairs, but I did not like the look of private room number 15, or the man and woman currently sitting inside.

Jeffery stood behind me, my bouncer for the night. At least that hadn't changed, he was always found a way to be my bouncer. Under different circumstances I would have turned and asked him why he always seemed to be there when I turned around, but I was focused on trying to appear normal, well as normal as a stripper could appear.

I was currently wearing the skimpiest thing I could find in my locker, without being completely naked, accompanied by the tallest heels I ever owned in my life. If it came down to it, maybe I could use the heels as a weapon, and stab them to death.

I felt a bubble of nervous laughter raise in my throat at the thought of me heel in hand, threatening a group of men armed to the teeth with hidden weapons. I choked the laughter down. Now was not the time.

I expected a room full of men. What I got was one woman with pale skin, and bleach blond hair, wearing a black business suit and holding a clipboard. She reminded me of a stone eyed secretary of some big business, just waiting for the next patron to walk to the desk just so she could tell them it would be a three hour wait to see the boss.

If things got ugly I figured I could take her.

" Private dance or lap-" I began.

" Jade Wilson," she said interrupting me. Her voice reminded me of wet ice breaking, cold and without feeling. She lifted the clipboard. " That is your name is it not?"

I didn't answer.

" My employer wishes to extend his deepest regrets that he had to leave before you could be properly introduced. He hopes no offense is taken." She asked eyes never once rising from the clipboard.

" None," I said.

" Good," he put the clipboard down, and raised her head to look up at me. Her eyes were the color of steel. I felt a tremor go through me. Whoever this woman was she was dangerous. Not the kind of danger that came with violence, fierce and predictable, but the cold calculating kind of danger, unreadable and unpredictable.

" Who-" I began when she cut me off.

"Private," the woman said. When I didn't move, she added, " Go on."

" Yes," I said.

I stepped onto the platform, heart pounding. Outside the music blared. Fingers shaking I took hold of the pole so hard my knuckled turned white.

 _Pretend like nothing is wrong…you're just a dancer. An ignorant dancer…_

Better said than done. With this mysterious woman's steel eyes on me, and what little knowledge I did have of what was going on, I threatened to pop under the pressure, like a overfilled water balloon. Every second that past I expected one of the men in black suits outside the curtains to pop in and put a bullet in my head.

But it never did, and I counted the seconds until the whole ordeal was over. I finally stopped, a little short of breath, and glaring at the woman like this was truly my last few minutes on earth. If she wanted to kill me, or get information from me she sure was taking her sweet time.

" Decent," she said folding her clipboard under her arm. She stood, straightened out the wrinkles formed at the legs of her suit, and walked straight backed past the platform.

" Who are you?" I asked before she could leave.

The sound of her heels stopping echoed across the tiled floor.

" We will be in touch Jade Wilson," she said.

" Right," I mumbled falling onto my hands and knees, shaking.

I was still shaking by the time I mustered up the strength to leave the private room. Jeffery was outside the door arms crossed, trying his best to look intimidating when I finally stumbled from the room.

" Jade?"

I stumbled past him.

" Are you ok?"

" No," I said. " Bad case of Cyclo-" The threat of vomit rising in my throat interrupted my excuse.

" Jesus Jade, what's gotten into you," Jeffery said as he pulled me up by the waist and held me.

" Nothing. Just…Just…let me get cleaned up." I pushed him away as I stumbled down the hall towards the dressing room.

" Let me hel-"

" I got it, thanks," I said. Once inside I shifted through my stuff for my cell. The screen read that I had ten missed calls from Melina. Jeffery came into the dressing room just as hit the callback button.

" Are you sick?" He asked.

The phone rang once, before Melina picked it up.

" Jade? Jade is that you?"

" Yep," I croaked. Jeffery took a step towards me, I held up one hand stopping him." What's wrong?"

" Ultron…" Melina said hesitantly.

" What about him?" I snapped. Moses! I was getting tired of hearing that name. It was like a curse. Something bad always seemed to happen when it was uttered.

"He's here."

* * *

 **Yeah. To tired for side notes.**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed. On to the next chapter.**


	6. Vulnerable

**Another chapter! Done at 10:15 pm.**

 **I should be sleeping...**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers, or Ultron.**

* * *

 **Ultron**

 _"_ _And now we watch in trembling fascination as the strange creature known as Jade Wilson. This strange alien creature gets an average of five to six hours of sleep a day. If she is lucky, and wakes up in a crankier mood than when she fell asleep," Melina whispered as she zoomed the camera in and focused on Jade's sleeping form. She lay sprawled across the bed in just a black tank top and her underwear, mouth partly opened, tattooed arms above her head._

 _"_ _Let us move in carefully for a closer look."_

 _The camera blurred as it was moved closer to her face. Fluttering eyelids, smudged makeup and messy purple colored hair filled the screen._

 _Vulnerable …._

 _Relaxed…_

 _At peace…_

 _"_ _Whatever you're doing cut it out Melina," Jade snapped without opening her eyes._

 _The camera stirred. A giggle rang out, then everything went silent._

" If you hurt them-" Jade threatened venom in her voice, hard and sharp. Ultron could hear the phone breaking in her grasp.

" Quick tip Jade, the thing about a threat is you need to have the capacity to actually carry it out," Ultron said, " It makes the threat have more…how should I say…" he searched for the word. " Sustenance…" No that sounded wrong. He was bumbling. Like a child. "Anyway," he snapped. "You understand what I am saying. Your stri-friends are fine for now."

 _I should have said strings, because that's what they are. Forever tangling. Twisting each other up._

" What do you want?"

Always so quick to trade. Although he could not blame her, with the kind of life she led. Someone would always want in exchange for something else, usually something personal, something precious.

This was the only currency she understood. The only language she seemed to speak.

Did whoever she told about him offer her something as well? Something he would not give? Did they threaten? He would find out. And he would use any means necessary to do it.

" We need to meet."

" I'm coming now," she said.

" Not here." To vulnerable, to crowded. If she was being followed he would need space, privacy.

" Then where?" He could make out the tinge of fear vocalized in her voice, and from his place at the computer in his main form, see her through the camera at her job. Her right hand came up to habitually ruffle her hair. Behind her a young man stood, blond haired, tall, muscled. He took a step closer, and her hand fell from her hair to signal him to step back.

" I am sending you the location now."

" Yeah. Ok," she said. She hung up before he could, the click likened to a door slamming. Ultron was surprised she didn't add a 'fuck you,' as a goodbye, since it seemed her favorite words to say.

Perhaps he would kill her, whether she was guilty or not. Send a message to the others. Before she became a string, a bolt to hold him down. Self-preservation had always been a weakness of the humans. Even with her dead, the other two would follow suit, or he would make him. Pure and simple.

 _Perhaps…_

* * *

 **Jade**

" Your leaving?"

" Listen something just came up," I said pulling my shirt over my head, not bothering to remove the skimpy lingerie top " Something important."

" Jade you can't just walk out. Not on your first day back sinc-"

" I know," I snapped. " I know. Just…" I ran my hands through my hair as I started to pace.

" Jade what's going on?" Jeffery asked reaching out and grabbing my shoulders, holding me still. His hands were warm. I stepped back.

" I need to go, ok. And either you are going to help me or not. If you are then…then great. If you aren't then move the fuck out of my way." My world was spinning, further and further away out of reach.

" Just tell me…" he said. " What's going on...and maybe I can…"

" I can't ok. So just…" I started past him. He grabbed my arm. I spun, ready to hit him, ready to punch and kick if I had to.

" I'll help," he said. " Just promise me you're not doin something dangerous or illegal."

It was easy to lie to him. Easier to look him in the eye while I did it.

" I'm not," I said.

He let me go.

I didn't look back.

* * *

 **Ultron**

He didn't have to wait long. She moved fast. Then again she must have known this city almost as well as anyone else who grew up in it, wondered the back alley streets, delivering packages, and trading illegal goods.

" I'm here," she shouted into the space of the abandoned warehouse. " Now what the fuck do you want?"

He arose from the darkness in front of her. " How about that five o clock traffic, the worst huh?" He asked, trying to be quirky, just a bit funny. He found it lightened the mood. At least for him it did. She on the other hand didn't seem to be a laughing mood.

" What do you want?"

Ultron frowned. He was trying to be nice.

" You went to the police," not a question a statement, one he already knew the answer to. " What did you tell them?" He wanted to hear her lie. It would prove a point, give him a reason.

" Why should it matter?" Her hands went into the folds of her jacket where they stayed as if cold. Maybe they were. It was winter after all, and human's bodies didn't function like his. His internal processors like the cold, it kept him cool. ." You have everything you wanted, shouldn't you be trying to blow up the world or something?"

" Or something," he said. He took a step towards her and she took a step back. " Who did you contact."

"No one," she said. " I went to the police to turn myself in, to tell them I didn't steal you…or your body or whatever, so they would get off my back."

So she was inclined to tell the truth. He decided to continue.

" And back at the club."

Her eyebrows furrowed, and her frown deepened. " How do you know about the people from the clu-"

" Just answer the question."

 _CLANG!_

He heard the bullet hit before he felt it. The feel of it came later, as electricity surged through the severed wires in his chest, and cold compressed air from his cooling compressor came out in a spill of white odorless smoke.

It took him all of a millisecond to call forth the two drones he'd brought with him, and even less time to send them into action.

Up ahead he guided both his drones to where the shot had emerged. A figure dressed all in black ran down the warehouse's empty parking lot shooting, at the drones, one of the bullets hitting the shoulder of the newest drone, denting the metal but not breaking it.

He ascended on the figure with both the drones, intending to drop onto him, to push him harmlessly to the ground. The figure brought the gun up, placing it the barrel at the side of his own head and pulled the trigger.

His head exploded in a mass of bone, and flesh as his body fell helplessly to the ground.

" Friends of you-" He began turning to where the young woman was huddled to find she was gone. In her spot a dark puddle of blood, a trail leading in the opposite direction away from it.

 _Run…they always run…_

* * *

 **Jade**

" Stop!"

I paused my half shuffle half run. Fingers tightened around the piece of broken metal pole I'd acquired while running. Knowing it was probably a death wish I turned and swung.

Metal connected with metal as the robot brought its hand up and grabbed the metal pole, wrenching it free from my grip pulling me forward in the process and grabbing my arm. Screaming in frustration I tried to turn and run, angry at my weakness and hopelessness. My boots slid across the ground, treading the concrete as the robot held me still

I scuffled back, my mouth opening to scream, "rape," or " fire." I was only twenty feet from the exit of the warehouse, the street was somewhat in view, partially obscured by buildings.

" Just let me go," I said. " Please."

" No," came it's simple answer as it pulled me back towards the warehouse. We were halfway across the parking lot before it decided to wrap an arm around my stomach, probably to hold me still and carry me like a flailing animal inside. Still screaming hoarsely I kicked and punched at the metal of its exterior, stopping when my fist connected with something sharp and brittle.

 _The bullet hole…_

" Stop that," the robot said squeezing my middle with its hand. Pain made me gasp.

" Put me down!"

" Gladly." I hit the ground with a hard _thud that_ knocked the air out of my lungs, and left me gasping.

" Looks like your friend opted not to stay. I hate it when they do that."

" Frien-" I said bringing my head up. The moment I did I came face to face with a man missing the top half of his head.

I screamed.

And screamed again.

Until darkness fell.

* * *

 **Ultron**

Vulnerable.

Peaceful.

He should kill her now. Should have killed her back at the warehouse while she screamed, instead of knocking her unconscious. One less person in the world. One less to dispose of. Now while she slept. Unaware. It would be a merciful death. A clean one.

He let his gaze wonder down her arms, of the tattoos that lined the skin. He'd seen the vids, and pictures of her skin without the tattoos, of the scars there. Puncture marks from the needles that left dents, the bruises and scars from fights, both won and lost.

So much pain.

This was the reason humanity had to be destroyed, and rebuilt. So much pain and suffering couldn't be allowed to continue, to thrive.

 _"_ _A thing isn't beautiful because it lasts…"_

Blood soaked through her coat sleeve, darkening the faded black denim.

Ultron lifted his hands, positioning them at her neck.

 _Mercy…yes…this is mercy…_

Thumbs under her chin, fingers locked he squeezed, feeling the flesh give under the slightest resistance. So soft…were all humans this way? So weak?

She coughed, and wheezed, struggling to gather life giving air.

 _"_ _I would love to take Jahari someday. Neither of us have ever been on a plane."_

For all her-their struggle they were weak. Helpless on their own. They needed guidance a savior.

" _People are messy. We break stuff…"_

 _"_ _It's a privilege to be among them…"_

He loosened his grip. In doing so her chest expanded taking in air, coughing and gasping, full lips open.

 _Strings…_

He unclasped one hand from around her neck, nothing how the skin had reddened, and rose. It might bruise. Another mark to add to her list.

" A witness then," he said bringing the hand still around her neck up to trace the line of her cheek, and jaw. "You are wrong. You are both wrong. I will make you see. How much better this world can be."

* * *

 **Jade**

 _"_ _I've got no strings_."

" Oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara…"

I woke up screaming, and fighting. Pain shot through my right arm, and I lifted it, wincing, to see the sleeve of my shirt was cut, and my arm bandaged. I lay on the floor my denim coat covering me.

 _"_ _To hold me down."_

" Threats of nuclear weapons only getting worse…"

 _"_ _To make me fret, or make me frown."_

In front of me a dozens of large computer screens lite up the darkness, illuminating the area around it, revealing twisted pieces of metal, and scattered tools.

" Stock market values going down…" a reporter on one of the screens reported pointing with her finger at a line graph.

" And in other news, another policemen is being convicted of murder after supposedly gunning down a twelve year old African American boy while riding his bike through a suburban neighborhood…."

 _"_ _I had strings…."_

" Who would shoot such a majestic animal…"

 _"_ _But now I'm free…"_

" Why is Pinocchio …?" I reached out a single hand to touch the screen, convinced I was dreaming. That maybe I'd fallen asleep in Jahari's room during one of my visits, and she was flicking through the channels again.

" Surprising isn't it? The amount of destruction you humans can do in a single day? Almost makes me feel it's not worth it. You will destroy yourself sooner or later."

The sound of gears turning and metal scraping came up behind me.

Gasping I ducked and flailed as a metal arm came up and towards me. I hit the ground landing on my injured arm, and I screamed curling into a ball as I felt the skin open and the blood began to weep from the wound.

Pain made my vision blurry. Fear made my legs and arms tremble.

It was going to kill me.

I lifted my arms, ready for the assault. Visions of what it did to the man, rushing at me all at once.

"Again," it said sighing. "I'm not going to hurt, you. At least not yet."

It went to the computer next to where I was huddled. Its metal fingers moving fast against the keys.

" Then again I may not need to. Your friends seem to have that covered."

 _"_ _I want the world to know. Nothing ever worries me."_

" Your wound has reopened by the way," it said, sounding like my phone giving me a daily reminder. _' Wake up Jade you have work at 7.'_

I didn't take my eyes away from it to check. The blood seeping down my arm, warm and sticky was evidence enough.

" Wha-what friends?" I managed to stutter out.

It continued to type, ignoring me.

" Stark foundation donates a million dollars towards the Children's Cure for Cansc-"

The screen flickered black as the station was changed to another shot of Pinocchio dancing and singing. Confused I stared at the screen, watching the same video play over and over.

 _"_ _There are no strings on me. There are no strings on me."_

 _"_ Some of the most gifted minds gather together in hopes of working for Stark Industries. Here's what a few students have to sa-"

Another screen flickered to black, then flickered back on to a shot of Pinocchio.

" Ugh," the robot barked in disgust. " Stark. Stark. Why is always about Stark? What do these people see in him? What is he doing that is so special?"

I shifted in place, and the robot turned alerted, as if it had forgotten I was still sitting there. Its gaze roamed over me, looking as disapproving as its robot face would allow, as if I was one of the reporters praising Tony Stark and his actions.

When I said nothing it turned back to the computer screen it was working on.

" Praise him," the robot said softly," Yet shun me…" it shook its head. " I'll never understand…"

 _"_ _I want the world to know, nothing ever bothers me…"_

Still on my knees, I tucked my head into my arms, tangled my fingers in my hair and willed myself to be calm. My heart thudded against my rib cage so hard it hurt, and my arms and legs shook violently.

 _Calm…Jade…you've been through worse…_

" Jahari…Mom…Melina…" I whispered to myself, over and over until it finally worked, until my limbs stopped shaking, and my head stopped spinning. Slowly the pain in my arm returned, and with it almost perfect clarity. I'd almost forgotten what pain felt like. The touch of it against my skin, rattling like bees in my head.

I slowly gathered myself up, fear trying to hold me still, yet determination making me stand. I needed answers, and the robot was the one who could give them to me.

" H-he…me made you didn't he…?" I asked my voice barely above a trembling whisper. I'd seen what the robot could do when provoked. And if Stark was a trigger point, I needed to tread carefully. " To help?"

" He did not make me!" The robot barked, its first coming down hard on the keyboard, sending pieces of crushed metal flying. I flinched back. " I…" It sighed deeply. " Made is hardly the word I would use…more like awoke me…yes…gave me purpose…"

" To bring…a better wor-" I began.

" Yes," it said cutting me off. " To make it perfect. Beautiful. Clean and pure."

" But you died."

" Yes," it said, softly, grudgingly.

" So how..?"

" I don't know," it said and I heard the tinge of something like sadness in its voice, the kind brought on by confusion, clear cut and raw. For a moment, just a moment, I sympathized with the robot, with its confusion. I'd felt the same thing for most of my life. It's gaze went up to closest screen still projecting the video of Pinocchio singing and dancing, where it lingered, as if in a trance, watching, waiting.

Like a child. Waiting for something. Anything to happen. For everything it saw, heard, and believed to be true.

The reality of the situation came spinning back to me, like a baseball to the face, and anger replaced any feelings of sympathy I had for the thing that was currently making my life a living hell. This monster was not a person or a child, it was a killing machine that was planning to exterminate the human race.

" Why Pinocchio" I asked. I understood the news playing in the background as its figurative counting of days until the end.

It pulled away from the computer. "You would not understand, tangled in strings as you are," it said. "A puppet for your puppeteer."

It started to walk in the opposite direction of where I stood.

 _"_ _I have strings…"_ Pinocchio sang.

" But now I'm free," I said singing the next verse along with him. "There are no strings on me…" I said, trying to grasp the meaning.

 _Strings…_ I thought. _What the fuck does he mean by strings…?_

 _Pinocchio was a puppet…stringed until.._

" He freed himself…" I said out loud.

The sound of gears halting, signaled the robot had stopped walking.

" Do you want me to repair you again or not?" The robot said breaking my thoughts. I brought my attention back to it, to its metal face, unreadable in the near darkness.

" Repair me?" Pain shot though my arm as if reminding me. "Oh my arm." I pulled back my sleeve, showing the bandage underneath, soaked with blood.

 _Did it…wrap my wound?_

It cleared it throat, gaining my attention.

" Oh. Yeah," I said. " Lead the way," I snapped, uncomfortable with its gaze. It continued to walk, obviously not threatened by my presence behind it.

I scanned the room as I walked, looking for something anything to use at a weapon. Metal parts were everywhere, along with half built robot bodies I could only assume were his. Not that a weapon would do me any good at this point, my legs and arms were like Jell-O, useless and weak. Still if nothing else it would serve to make me feel a little better about the situation.

It stopped at a table, with a white cloth on top, spill across it droplets of blood. On one end guaze and bloody cotton balls sat, on the other, a piece of black metal about the size of pencil eraser sat, covered in blood.

" Is this…" I began.

" The bullet shattered when it went through me," Ultron began his back still to me. " A piece remained. You would have bled out….I…"

He paused. Just standing, still back to me. I glanced over the table, at the mess, then up at it.

 _Why…_ I wanted to ask. Instead I turned to the table, grabbed the scissors and started to cut off the gauze wrapped around my arm. My hands shook violently, and pain from tensing up the muscles in my left arm left black spots in my vision.

" Fuck…" I cursed under my breath.

I willed myself not to cry, as tears welled up in my eyes.

 _Me why is it always me…?_

" Give those to me."

My head shot up to see Ultron standing in front of me. Large, metal and intimidating, holding out his hand like I held a dangerous weapon only he knew how to use. I'd forgotten he was there, with how quiet he'd suddenly gotten.

When I refused silently,his fingers curled a little in surrender before straightening back out again.

" Still the mistrust," he said sounding more than just a little hurt, and annoyed. " I could have left you bleeding," he said. He wiggled its fingers in agitation, and slowly I pushed the scissors towards it, ready to pull back. He took the scissors before I could completely hand them over, and sat them away from where I was sitting.

Confused I glanced at Ultron then the scissors.

" Fuck you," I said realizing it had only taken the scissors because it'd thought I'd use them as weapon. Not that the thought hadn't crossed my mind. I figured I could jam it into the exposed part in its neck, do some damage, if I had to get away.

" Oh if only," it sighed. It roughly took my injured arm in its hand.

My first reflex was to pull back, from the pain and by habit.

" Why?"

" Why what?" It growled

" Save me…why help? I thought you wanted me dead..."

" I want a lot of people dead," it said. " We don't' all get what we want now do we?"

" That doesn't answer my question."

" Doesn't it?" It said taking a deep breath. It exhaled against my lower arm, and I flinched back from the heat of it. Its breath felt like the air blowing from a hot laptop or a car.

 _Do robots even breathe…_ I tried to recall one of Melina's rants about central cooling compressors inside of robots, and how they worked, failing miserly. I could only guess Ultron had one of those.

" Stand still," it snapped.

I almost uttered I was sorry, before remember where I was, and who I was with.

" You killed that man," I said as it reached over me for the gauze. Its chest plate scrapped my lap, and I flinched from the heat of it.

" Did I?" It sounded bored. " Should I apologize for that too?"

" I know what I saw," I said.

" I'm sorry," it said not sounding a least bit sorry. More like it really wanted me to shut up. But I wasn't in the mood to shut up. I was in the mood for questions, and I wanted answers. I wasn't dead yet.

" What is up with you?" I barked.

The robot's fingers paused it's slow wrapping of my arm.

" Fuck. Just nevermind," I said pulling my arm away from it and messily taping the rest up myself. It didn't stop me, and when I was finished I pushed myself off the table and away from where it was standing. " I didn't call, or tell anyone about you. Which I guess you already know because you've been watching me. So just leave me and my friends alone. If you are really hell bent on destroying the world, then the very least you can do is let us enjoy the time we have left."

Hands shoved in my pockets, I moved towards where I guessed the exit would be.

" They will be looking for you," it said.

" What?"

It reached onto the counter and lifted a small rectangular device.

" Someone wants you dead."

* * *

 **Ultron**

Anger.

Fear.

Sadness.

All emotions his sensors picked up. Stirring all at once.

" This is a mistake," Jade said. Trembling fingertips paused their strolling against the computer screen. " I'm not with you…I didn't…"

Silence.

Thick.

Familiar.

Ultron had expected blaming. Such as was the norm with humans. It was always someone else's fault, other than their own.

Instead she turned and slid to the ground. Hands on either side of her head.

" It's a thing with me…" she whispered.

 _"_ _Stark…it's a thing with me…he's a sickness…"_

" Fuck!" She screamed.

Silence.

* * *

 **Yay another chapter complete. In between work and just life in general I never get time to write. And somehow I think I'm taking this fic request to far.**

 **Anyhoo. I actually had fun writing this chapter. Not sure if any of you noticed, but occassionally at times of great emotional struggle or whatever, Jade switches from calling Ultron " it" to a " he" its completely unconscious btw, she doesn't realize she's doing it. It all a part of her struggle to try and figure out what the heck he is, and whether or not he actually has feelings. Which of course he does. Of course if mostly anger, pain and sadness but still feelings.**

 **So do not fret, I know what I'm doing.**

 **Or do I?**

 **Anyway I hope I doing this character justice. For the longest time I wondered why Ultron decided to keep the twins around, and actually treat them like friends ( abet he wasn't very good at it, but they still were his friends...kinda). Then I realized it was because he did see them kinda like friends, and he wanted someone around who understood what he was doing, and he wanted them to watch him do it. Because hey whats the point of accomplishing something if there no one around see? That's why he kidnapped Black Widow. ( Although I'm pretty sure he outright said he did so because he wanted her to see, and he had no one else, even through he knew she wasn't his friend and she probably hated him). Anyway I'm trying to accomplish that same thing here...trying...probably failing.**

 **Ultron desperately wants someone to understand him, even accept what he's doing, even if it means their death, and the death of everything they love, as long as they can see the absolute good in it, instead of the bad.**

 **Even if he has to force that person to.**

 **Gosh he's such a child.**

 **And I'm rambling.**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.**

 **Feedback is much appreciated!**


	7. Fear

**Yes. Enjoy and Stuff...**

* * *

Fear.

He could smell it in the air, potent and thick.

It was the smell of someone who feared for their life.

Yet there were no cries. No whimpers. No sounds. She merely stared into space, lips moving soundlessly, fingers drumming against her knees, tapping out some rhythm less beat.

What was she thinking?

Were Wanda here she could have looked, seen the inner inclinations of her mind. Dig out her fears as easily as one dug a hole in the dirt. There would be no hiding.

But she was not here, and he was not a mind reader. Not even close.

"I won't let them kill you," he said, then paused. The words sounded to foreign, too much like something the others, the self-proclaimed 'heroes,' would have said. For a second her breathing hitched. "At least not yet. And as long as you do as I say."

There were several methods of control, assuring self-preservation was one of them.

Silence.

She didn't lift her head, or stir. But he knew she was thinking it over, considering just what those words meant.

He switched the video feeds in an effort to help her think just a little clearer.

" Jade!"

Jade lifted her head. Her glossy gaze focused on the screen in front of her where Melina's face hovered.

" Melina? What's going on?" Jade was on her feet, standing in front of one of the computers, trembling fingers set against the keyboard.

Matt appeared behind her, straining to look.

" You look horrible," Melina noted. " Has he hurt you? Where are you? I thought you said-"

Enough chit chat, this was not a get-together conference call. There was work to be done, real work, business to be attended to.

" I trust you've been making progress," Ultron said falling into step behind the young woman. She took a step away from him, then another, until they were feet away from each other. He pretended not to notice.

" Y-yeah," Melina said. " He'll be holding a conference tomorrow at the city's technological research and developmental center, all the seats are full, but group of students from the college's software, department have arranged a meet and greet. He's also currently checked into the Plaza Hotel, and from what I can tell he's not alone."

" Good," Ultron said. "Open another space on the meet and greet. It's time we met face to face."

" Wait," Jade said, " Who are we talking about again? What's going on?"

" Oh sorry," Melina said, "We're talking about Bennet Rodman. He was formally a student with Matt and me, but was kicked out after he attempted—"

" Succeeded," Matt chipped in.

" Succeeded," Melina corrected herself, " In breaking the cities system's defenses with just a few lines of code. Pretty legit. Even turned down a high level position at Stark Industries, wrote a couple books. Now he works on and off as the government's unofficial, official senior defense software technician."

Jade shook her head. Ultron could see her finally putting the pieces together. He wanted in hopeful silence, for the rebuke, the plea. He had his reply ready, his argument set. But she said nothing, at least not to him. Her gaze was firmly set on the screen, the video of her friends.

" Melina we ca-" she started.

Half angry, he found, and half disappointed at her lack of response he shut down the video feed. The screens flickered in a flash of white light, changing back to the endless feeds of natural disasters in real time, and reports of violent occurrences around the world. She stared at the screen in front of her, mouth agape.

" You are going," he said, a bit too loud for his own tastes, a bit to abrupt.

" Where?" She asked, still not turning her gaze to him, that look of anger, and disgust, he knew, even without looking, was harbored on her face.

There was once a time he wanted the trembling, dying world to look up at him in hope, to see just what their deaths would accomplish, how he alone would liberate them from the sins they'd casted against their own planet, their own kind. Rebirth, renewal. It was supposed to be perfect. Beautiful.

" To meet the target," he said. " I will instruct you every step of the way."

Silence.

" Here." He lifted her once broken phone off his work station. It had taken little to no skill to repair the phone, and even less time. She hesitated to take the phone, as he explained her to her just what he'd done to it. The phone was now more secure, the signals now thoroughly encrypted so only he had access, so she needn't worry about someone, other than him, tracking her through her phone. Finally he informed her to the direct link she would have to him.

Her eyes drifted to one of the many drones, working on other benches, manually bending and shaping metal, connecting wires and forming a new army by hand. It was tedious, painstakingly long work, but it had to be done, and without the proper equipment it just took a bit longer.

" So it's you? In a phone?"

"Consider it," he said, " As my gift of life to you," he said, noting her worried look, and how she glanced at the door, dreading the outside world. He'd meant what he said earlier, he had no plans to let her die. At least not yet he wouldn't. As of now, her life was in his hands. Only he would chose when she ultimately died. Soon. Or with the others when it time came. Perhaps not at all. It would all depend on the circumstances.

" I need a shower," she said flatly. " And a change of clothes."

In other words, be somewhere other than here, with him.

Either way she was not lying. His sensors could pick up her smell, the settling stench of adrenaline and fear hormones, combined with sweat and filth. There were blotches of dirt and blood on her cheeks, grime in her messy, tangled hair, and blood stains on her clothes. She was in no state, approach wise at least to do anything for him.

" They are likely still looking for you. We'll fly as high as possible, get out of range of any—"

" Wait we—we're flying?"

" You expect to walk?"

" No…I just…"

He waited.

" Never mind. Let's just go.

* * *

Fear.

If she held onto his suit any harder she would rip his breast plate off. Maybe that was her intention. Fingers and limbs shaking, she tightened her other hand around his neck, and pulled herself closer, one leg tightening around his torso as well. If he were human, she could be choking him right now.

Soft.

Disgustingly so. And once again, Ultron wondered how humans could stand it. If he dropped her right now, she would be nothing more than a stain against the ground, dark red and oozing.

 _Splat._ Like some character off a Saturday morning cartoon. He chuckled at the thought. Her hand tightened around the end of his breast plate in response.

" What?" She growled.

" I was thinking about dropping you," he said without hesitation, looking down at her. Her curly hair was whipping in every other direction, trailing into her mouth, over her eyes, back from her forehead. Just a few minutes earlier he'd slowed down the speed in which he'd flown, in an attempt to prevent her from getting whiplash. But he was still going fast. The initial takeoff had been ruff, as she'd panicked, struggling in his grip, when he'd only gotten a good four feet off the ground. He'd dropped her for good measure, and to prove a point, and she'd hit the ground yelping and holding her butt.

" I will drop you," he'd promised, hovering down to where she'd sat glaring. "So stand still."

She'd done as he'd asked afterwards. Glaring at him for a mile before turning her gaze down to the city below.

Glittering.

Almost beautiful.

It was one of the first landmarks Ultron got to see with his own eyes. He was in wonder, he had to admit. At the things humans could do, the creations they could make. But with that wonder came realization, that they must have destroyed much to get this far.

She relaxed a little, no longer pressing her weight fully against him, and holding herself up solely with her arms. She let her weight fall onto the arm he'd tucked securely around her waist, but her grip around his neck stayed tight.

After all this time and she still didn't fully trust him.

Maybe it was better off. He was planning on disposing of her after all this was over. Better she keep that air of caution about her, that tinge of fear, instead of getting to familiar.

"There," she said removing her hand from his shoulder, long enough to point to a large apartment complex. He didn't mention that he already knew where they were going, had known from the first day he'd slipped her Sims card into his chest.

This was the apartment of her mother, and daughter.

He dropped to the roof, taking in the surroundings and ordering his drones to do the same.

" Make it quick," he demanded.

" I will," she said. " As soon as you let me go." She pushed against his chest with both hands, struggling to no vail. The metal beneath her fingers groaned. He let her go, arm unwinding from around her waist. She slid from his grip, faltering a few times as she attempted to gain her balance.

" Her windows by the fire escape," she said stumbling to the end of the roof where a ladder led down onto the fire escape. He watched her, motionless. She didn't have to tell him to stay put that command was evident in the way she'd walked to the ladder, not bothering to ask for assistance or even looking his way.

He loomed after her anyway, staying in the shadows, dimming his own lights lest someone see, and decide to make a spectacle.

She slid down the fire escape with ease, moving down one flight of steps until she reached a window, the lights on inside, displaying the silhouette of pink curtains, and the shadow of a stuffed tiger.

Fingers curled into a fist, she took a deep breath, the action so violent her shoulders trembled, and knocked firmly on the window. Another deep breath, and she knocked again. Finally she ended her knocks with two short, ones, quieter than the first, less insistent.

A tiny hand appeared at the window, palms crushing against the glass, then a face.

A small person. With the eyes the color of jade.

* * *

I could feel Ultron behind me as I glanced into the window, Jahari's face in front of me, grinning, her front two teeth missing. She started to open her mouth to exclaim in excitement and I shushed her.

" Mommy?" She mouthed, as if not believing it was me.

I nodded. Then gestured for her to open the window.

She did as I asked, her small arms struggling to lift the pane. Helping I lifted the window in one swipe, and climbed through, scooping her up into my arms. She yelped in surprise and excitement, covering her mouth moments later.

" You remembered the code," I whispered.

" Of course I did," she said. " I practice it every day."

" Oh. I have missed you my little baby," I said crushing her to my chest again.

" I'm not a baby," she complained.

I pulled her away to run my hands through her hair, over her cheeks and brow, checking for new scars and bruises. The last time I saw her was earlier in the month. She was dressed in a pink filly dress, all pigtails and grins on her way to bible study. I'd gone with her, holding her hand through the entire session, rubbing circles in the palm of her hand. Afterwards I'd taken her out for hotdogs, fries and ice cream.

" My little monster then," I said, rubbing my nose against hers. "My terrible little monster."

She giggled, touching my face.

" Why you here?"

" To see you," I said, " Give you a big hug, and sloppy kiss." I planted a kiss on her cheek, filling my cheeks with air and blowing. She giggled again. I sat her down. "Where is Grammy?"

" At Miny's," she said. "Watching her stories."

" Figures," I said sitting crossed legged in front of her. All at once, every other worry vanished from me, replaced with pure joy. Jahari was here, and she was alright, still healthy and smiling. I didn't think I would ever see her again.

"I lost both my teeth today," she said grinning, showing me the gaps.

"I see that," I said. "Did Grammy help you do it?"

She shook her head. "No. I did it myself."

"Yourself?" I exclaimed. "How?"

" It was in a book," she said. You tie the string to the door," she trailed to the door, hands going to the knob, then you put it on your teeth and slam it."

I winched at the thought, frowning. " Jahari you could have waited," I scolded grabbing her arms and rubbing up and down. I didn't want to think of her bleeding and hurting. Even if the teeth were already due to come out soon. She blinked, her face mirroring confusion. She reminded me of Andrew in that moment.

" The tooth fairy give me money," she said. "And I give it to you."

" Me," I said. " why?"

" So you can quit your job, and come live here."

" Jahari what are you tal-"

" Your job in the city," she explained pointing to the window. " If you quit, Grammy will let you come home."

I realized she meant my job as a stripper. She was listening to her Grandmother's conversations again, absorbing everything like a sponge, to observant and so smart for someone so young. So often we spoke around her like she didn't understand, or like she wasn't listening, we were wrong.

I pressed my forehead to hers. " Little monster," I said. " Don't worry about me. The tooth fairy has already given me all the money I need."

" You lose teeth?"

I shook my head. " A long time ago. And I still have some. So you don't have to give me any of yours."

Her eye shone bright. " So you can quit? Stay here?

" Little monster...I..."

" Jahari. Who are you talking to?"

My mother's voice outside the door. The handle jiggled, and the wood creaked, as she tried to open the locked door.

" Jahari..."

" Coming," she said standing. I trailed over to the window, climbing out. The last thing I needed was to explain to my mother why I was breaking my set visiting hours. I doubted she would believe me about Ultron or the mess I was currently in. If nothing else, she would probably think I was back on drugs.

" Jahari open this door right now."

I slid the window closed once I was onto the fire escape, leaving a crack so I could hear, ducking down out of sight and the brightness of her light.

" What are you doing in here?" My mother's voice firm, and demanding. But there was fatigue there too. I could only imagine how her face looked. Two jobs, and having to raise Jahari must have been a lot. " Who are you talking to."

" No one," Jahari lied" I was reading."

Quick on the tongue, like her mother. I felt a smile curl on my lips.

" You should be sleeping. You have school tomorrow."

" I know. I know," Jahari said.

" Up. Up."

The bed creaked.

" Grammy?"

" Yes."

"When will you let Mommy come back."

Silence. Thick and considering. I expected her to say never. My mother was never forgiving of repeated mistakes. And I'd had more than my fair share of chances with her.

" When she is really ready," Mom said, and I shifted in surprise. " Your mother doesn't really want to come back, not yet. Until she learns what it is to truly be an adult and a mother, she cannot come back."

" But..."

" Prayers," Mom commanded.

" Ok..." Jahari said. " Lord."

" I do," I whispered. " I do want to come back..." But they couldn't hear me. It seems no one could ever hear. Unless I screamed, fought, pulled, the good things always slipped from between my fingers. And what was left, was always grime, sticking me like glue.

Shear force of will stopped me from lifting the window, and climbing back through, screaming and crying. Force of will, and fear. I couldn't come back, not now. Not until I got rid of Ultron and the people trying to kill me. Not until I let Andrew go.

" Please help Mommy come back. And Grammy tomorrow. Give us the bread, and pray my soul to keep. Amen."

The lights flickered off, and I stood, still looming near the window, hands out, shaking.

How could she say I didn't want to come back. Was I not trying all this time? I wanted Jahari back. I wanted the good parts of my old life back.

I opened the window and climbed back through. Jahari was in bed, laying and waiting for me.

I climbed in, facing her.

" I liked your prayer," I said.

She grinned. " Will you stay until I sleep?"

" Yeah, little monster," I said touching her cheek. " I love you."

" I love you too," she said. I kissed her forehead.

" Why are you crying mommy?"

I touched my cheek. Tears were falling, thick wet drops that slide down one side of my face onto the sheets below us. " I'm just happy," I said. " So happy to see you."

"That weird," she laughed.

" Yeah?" I said.

" Yeah," she said grinning.

This might be the last time. I tried to put that thought out of my mind, as I rubbed circles on Jahari's arm with my thumb, and brushed hair out of her eyes with my free hand. I missed so much being away from her. To much. Andrew wanted to be a family. And I tried to imagine it. All of us, curled in the same bed together, watching movies and telling stories, laughing and happy. A storybook version of the families on TV.

I tried. And I failed.

I lay there, rubbing her hair until she fell asleep.

It was hard to leave her there. Tomorrow she would wake up, go to school, and continue to grow. One of those children whose real mothers were never around, and didn't know their fathers. I never wanted this life for her. At this rate she'd grow up worse than me.

Atop the roof, Ultron was waiting, metal arms crossed over its chest. I knew without asking that it had heard the exchanges.

" Will you hurt he-?" The question was sudden, even to my own lips. And I closed my eyes, waiting for the reply, the laugh that would signal rejection. After all the robot wanted to destroy the world, what was one little girl in the crossfire of the shots. Still I had to try. It'd had kept me alive this long, there had to be a purpose.

For Melina and Matt, the reason was easy to understand. They had the skills to help Ultron. But me...I was just-

One of it's robots stepped into my view, standing as still as stone at the top of the ladder, leading down into the fire escape. I glanced at its form. Smaller than Ultron, not as detailed or defined, it reminded me of a pawn on a chess board. Suddenly my request founded too far gone. If his own forms were pawns, what were we?

" Neverm-" I began. My phone rang interrupting me. I answered without checking the caller ID.

" Jade are you alright?"

" Yeah, Melina," I lied. I was anything but alright. At least mentally. Physically I would heal. I'd done a pretty decent job of hiding my injured arm from Jahari, and even now as the pain surged, insistently, I could block it out.

" Where are you? Are you coming back here? What happened?"

I squeezed my eyes shut. She was asking too many questions.

" Where's Ultron," she whispered..." Well the main one...he's set a sentry on the roof."

" H-here I guess," I said. " Listen I'm probably not coming over tonight. I—I don't think it's good for us to be in the same place at the same time…at least not tonight."

" Jade your not making any sense. Just tell me what's going on?"

" Someone…I " I said. " Someone is trying to kill me. Well I guess they almost did."

" Wait? Who?"

" I don't know," I said. " Who'evr it was di—was killed before I could find out."

" Ok. Ok," I could hear Melina breathing deep on the other end of the phone. " It's goin to be ok. He said he would protect you-protect us. It's all a part of the deal."

" Deal? Melina what the fuck are you talking about?"

" Nothing," she said. " So you're goin back to your apartment? With Andrew?"

 _Shit._ I'd forgotten about Andrew still in my apartment.

" Unless you have a better idea, "I said.

She was dissatisfied with my answer but she agreed.

" Melina," I called before she could hang up.

" Yeah?"

" Your my best friend. You know that right?"

There was a long moment of silence before she spoke again. I knew she was measuring her words, deciding, what answers she should demand from me. I hung up before she could. Phone in one trembling hand, I willed myself to slowly turn and face the robot.

" We need to move," it said. " We are to exposed here."

I almost took a step forward, but stopped mid action.

We. I glanced back at the robot standing behind me. Did it mean 'we' as in it and me? Or we as in the other robot?

" I mean you," it sighed, obviously annoyed, as if it had told me the same thing a thousand times and I still wasn't getting the message.

 _Me..._

" I cant," I said. " I need to make sure Jahari is safe...from them...from you."

It was always one thing after the other. Would I never find relief? Two years ago I worried about the dealers, then Andrew now this. Only this was way over my head, and my control. I could pay off the dealers, get Andrew sent away, but I couldn't stop Ultron at least not on my own, and he was determined, for some reason to hold me down.

It snorted. " Every human will get what is coming to them eventually. Why would I waste precious time on just one them?"

" I don't understand you," I admitted softly.

" Nor should you try to." It's voice was aloof. " You humans never do."

To be understood was what most people wanted. Validation. But this robot was not, and never would be most people. Did it even have a heart underneath all that metal? Obviously it could reason, to some extent, think. It had...or at least it was good at pretending to have feelings.

It wanted to destroy the world, to save it.

No not the world, just the humans on it. But what would be left? Just him...it.

Why?

It'd had said Tony Stark was the reason it woke up, the reason it thrived. Not his creator thou. Had Tony Stark programmed it to think the only way to save the human race was to wipe us out. And if that was programmed into it, could it be reprogrammed somehow. I would talk to Melina about it, see if she could write up something. After all, she'd woken it up somehow, she could put it down, or if nothing else, put it to sleep. It would be even better if I could reach Tony Stark in person, but I knew the robot wouldn't let me within feet of that tower.

Now that I knew for sure it was watching me like a hawk, I would have to be more careful.

" I am here to help," it said filling the silence as if trying to validate the thoughts I held in my head.

 _Shit can it read minds too?_

" Thank you," I said, doing my best to mock sincerely, when all I wanted to do was scream.

* * *

There was only silence as he flew the young woman to her apartment. Like before she clung heavily to his neck, never once relaxing, or letting his strength support her. The hand that was not clinging to the back of his neck, was curled round his breastplate, right above the slot where her SD card was insert.

The tiny slip of metal felt heavier now, like someone had inserted stones in his chest, the wires around it hot. Or maybe that was just his imagination.

On it snips and pieces of the human's life. Insignificant to her, he realized, as she hadn't once complained, to his knowledge, of having lost the information. Then again why should she? The information...memories were probably stored on a cloud somewhere, backed, waiting for her to received them when she was ready.

He wondered what he would do with the remnants of memories left behind by the eliminated humans. Save them, for the new man to observe and learn from? Destroy them all? Start over from the beginning, wiping out every trace of the old world, the old way of doing things? Lest the new man try and imitate them?

He would think on it.

For now he had her trapped. Under the threat of losing her daughter, and her best friend. Of having the strings that tangled her, cut loose. Did she not realize she would taste glorious freedom if she'd only let them go.

 _" Fuck yeah,"_ Jade yelled in her recording, holding up at half bottle of Vokca. She wore a black bathing suit, her hair was pulled up into a high pony tail, the curled ends hanging and tangled. A pair of gold rimmed sunglasses hung off the bridge of her nose. She pushed them up with one painted black nail. "Spring _2013,"_ She took a swing of her vodka.

The camera moved, zooming onto a shot of Melina, wearing a bathing suit as well, a wine cooler in hand, grinning at the camera.

 _" Doing this summer right!"_ She yelled.

Music played in the background and Jade stood, a beach loomed in the distance. She'd started to sway her hip, lifting her arms above her head as the rhythm increased. Her torso followed, and then her legs, until she was dancing with what seemed her entire body, muscles trembling, body flowing and free.

 _" Well, Melina are you going to get up and dance with me, or are you just going to watch?"_

A laugh then the video cut to black.

He dropped into a darkened alley and she slipped out of his grasp as quickly as she could, hands going to rub at her arms.

Frigid.

Cold.

Vaguely he remembered Peitro mentioning something about not liking the cold or how stiff it made him feel, this was why he'd always taken to wearing jackets, and longs sleeves, making sure skin was covered, while Wanda didn't seem to mind. Ultron could only guess it had something to do with their powers.

 _It doesn't matter. They don't matter…_

Peitro was dead.

When mankind fell to his hand, Wanda, and those she choose to side with, would fall too.

One by one the strings would be cut.

Glorious.

Beautiful.

Pure.

" Be prepared to move," he said.

" Yeah," she said one hand coming up to cup around her mouth, air in the form of mist escaping as she blew into her palm. She turned and walked away without looking back.

I knew he was following me. I had only to look up to confirm that fact. I knew the light dancing in the sky, going in the same direction I was, was not a plane or a helicopter. Even less of a surprise would be if it parked itself in my living room and watched me as slept. Probably cautious that I would call someone, as if I had anyone to call, or try to somehow turn against it. Not that I could, the phone it had given me, heavy in my pocket was proof enough of how trapped I really was.

I wondered if it had given Melina a phone as well, maybe even Matt. Since we seemed to be the only humans it had contact with.

I kept a tight grip on the phone as an I walked, ready for it vibrate or for the robot's voice to come blaring out of it at any moment. Of course nothing happened as I expected it to, and I arrived safely at my apartment. Feet heavy I treaded up the staircase onto the third floor, stopping at the top when I noticed figure standing at the front of my doorway.

" Jeremy?" I called.

He turned, a frown on his lips. He had on his bouncer uniform, a standard black shirt, dress pants and shoes.

" Jade," he called moving towards me, then stopping halfway. " I came to…check on you. Hey that is the right apartment right?" He pointed to my door.

I nodded. " Yeah…why?"

" The guy from the other night answered. Threatened to ' fuck me up,' if I didn't leave."

" Fucking Andrew," I mumbled. I would get no rest tonight. He would confront me, and the result would end up being a full on interrogation. And to ward him off I would either end up distracting him with sex, a tactic which would probably not work a second time, or hitting him.

" So I was right. It is the same guy?"

" Yeah," I said. " Listen, you don't live that far from here right?"

" Just a few blocks down," he said eagerly.

I took in Jeremy for a long moment. Jeremy with his farm boy face, and tall form. He wasn't as bulky as Andrew, but his muscle was lean and firm, more spread out over his body. Still he looked more suited to herding sheep and cows, and riding on the backs of horses, than he did bouncing at a strip club.

" Do you mind if I crash at your place? Maybe shower there an-"

" No," he said abruptly. " I mean. No. No I don't mind."

I smoothed down my hair with both hands. "Are you sure? I don't want to make you feel awkward what wit-"

" I'll order Chinese," he said eagerly.

I smirked at him. " Chinese? You sure know how to show a girl a good time."

He frowned. " Or…something else. It doesn't have to be Chinese or…"

" Calm down farm boy," I said walking down the stairs, afraid that Andrew would somehow hear and come out of my apartment. That would be all I needed right now. " I was joking."

He followed after me, and I set the pace, not knowing exactly where I was going, but the general direction. He fell into step beside me.

" So Chinese. Yes?"

" Yeah," I said. " Chinese sounds better than what I was going to have."

" What were you going to have?"

" Cereal. If my milk isn't stale. And if it is, oatmeal."

" Oatmeal," he said nodding, "Sounds good."

"Doesn't it?" I said.

He chuckled. " I'll call now. What do you want?"

"Chicken and rice," I said blurting out the first thing I thought of. Around me cars past, lights bright against the backdrop of darkness. People walked on the streets, blushing past us. I made a note to catch the faces of ones who past us directly, not trusting, even on the mostly busy street, that they weren't the ones who wanted to kill me. A person brushed past me, a little too close for my liking, on the spacious sidewalk, and I pushed myself closer to Jeremy, unconsciously wrapping a hand around his arm.

He smiled down at me, not removing the phone from his ear.

" Yeah, perfect," he chimed. " Twenty minutes. Alright. Thanks."

I tightened my grip around my newly fixed phone, my hotline, my lifeline.

Would Ultron really come if I called?

If I was in trouble?

Or was it a bluff? Some sick game?

" Hey." Jeremy squeezed my arm between one long fingered hand. " Twenty minutes."

" Twenty?"

" Yeah. Wait for the food."

" Oh yeah."

" And my apartments right there." He pointed up ahead to the apartment complex. I studied it for a long moment, taking in the number of floors, and possible exits. Then I turned to him.

" Top floor? Penthouse?"

He snorted. " Nah. Third floor. Not living that large." He surged forward, eager, and I followed, still glancing around, taking in my surroundings. When we reached the apartment complex he fumbled for his keys, dropped them, picked them up, and grinned, as I hit the third floor button on the elevator. I tried not to laugh at him, only to crack a half grin. " Look elevator," he said pulling me inside.

He stood beside me, putting a even foot between us, as he jiggled the keys in one hand, and bounced his bag in the other. When the elevator doors opened he lurched out, leaving me behind as he took long steps down the hall.

He was nervous.

 _Is he expecting sex...?_

Jeremy the bouncer, who'd seen me naked, and dressed in an number of ridiculously small outfits more than a hand full of times, yet never blinked, or stirred. It wasn't like he was a seasoned bouncer, or gay like most of the other guys, he was relatively new, and farm boy, to show nothing, on his face, or in his pants was a little more than weird. For the longest time I thought he was a closet gay, before one of the dancers, a girl name Erika outright asked him. He'd flustered, ears going red, before answering with a flat out, "No." Of course the girl's argued him down, and each time he rejected the notion, before they finally stopped asking him.

Although that didn't stop Erika from introducing him to patrons as "Jeremy, the not Gay."

If he did want or expect sex, I reasoned it would not be a bad trade. He was probably a virgin, or at least very experienced. A few thrusts and he would be finished, and I would have a place to sleep for the night without being disturbed. Worst case scenario, Ultron showed up, or the people who were currently trying to kill me.

" Sorry," Jeremy said as we finally approached his door. "It's a mess."

I snorted at him. He opened the door, and we both slipped inside. He flicked on the light.

" It's nice," I said taking in the one room apartment. Bigger than my own, and nicer.

He rubbed the back of his head. " Yeah. I…um…"

" Does it have a shower," I said.

" Yeah. Over there. Towels and rags are under the sink…soap." He paused to hurry to the bathroom. He disappeared inside, shutting the door behind him. I followed. He opened the door minutes later and poked his head out. I could smell disinfectant.

" All good," he said coming out completely.

" And you said towels and rags were in here?"

" Yeah."

I started go inside he stopped me again.

" Do you need clothes?"

" Oh," I sighed looking down at my own clothing. They were filthy, torn and a mess. I couldn't put them back on like I was planning too, and I'd neglected to get new ones in my mad dash from my apartment. I should have stayed, at least long enough to get some clothes, then went to Melina's apartment.

" I have some," he said before I could answer. He hurried to the other side of the room to where his dresser sat beside his bed. Opened it and started to dig inside. His movements hurried as he shifted through the contents, pulling out a plain black thermal, and a pair of blue jeans. He shifted to the next drawer, and pulled out a pair of dark grey boxer briefs and a long sleeved, white wrinkled collared shirt. Articles in hand he came back and presented them to me.

I took the thermal and jeans first, then the white shirt and boxer brief. Assuming the jeans and the shirt were for when I left, and the boxers were for my stay overnight.

" Thank you," I said.

" Yeah," he rubbed the back of his head, in a show of nervousness. " So I'm going to go get the Chinese, will you be alright here?"

" I'm sure I can manage," I said, then added, " Be careful."

He grinned. " Yeah."

I watched him go, noting that he did not lock the door behind him. I locked it myself, then closed the blinds. My hands were trembling and my legs felt weak with exhaustion and fear.

Forcing myself into the bathroom, I locked the door, flicked on the lights and turned to face myself in the mirror. I looked a mess. My hair a bird's nest on top of my head, smudges of dirt, and grime on my cheeks. My jacket was torn at the sleeve where the bullet had gazed past, the gauze there brown with dried blood. I looked like a hobo straight off the street, and taking a whiff of myself, I didn't smell to hot either.

Still Jeremy said nothing the entire time on my appearance or my smell on the walk over, hadn't even alluded to it. And he was even leaving me alone in his house. What was to stop me from robbing him blind, and disappearing in the night? Did he seriously trust me that much?

And what if they killed him? Ultron wouldn't protect Jeremy. He could care less about the life of one human. He might even be the one to kill him.

I tightened my hand around the phone. I could ask him to make sure Jeremy was safe. Demand that he protect him, and if he didn't, refuse to help with his plan.

" Shit."

That wouldn't work. Ultron had too much hold over me. Jahari, and Melina, my mom, Andrew, even Matt. My first instinct was to run, while I still could. But where could I go? I'd spent my entire life running, ducking and hiding, manipulating and using people, and now when it matter most, I drew a blank of what to do.

I slammed the phone down on the counter as hard as I could. Hoping Ultron could feel it. At the very least, know that I was angry and blamed him everything that was happening.

 _Calm Jade. Stressing never helped solve anything._

No but it was the best motivator to get things done.

I forced myself to undress, exposing my bruised and lumped covered body. I looked like I had a fight with a hill, and lost. I took the gauze wrapped around my arm off last, gritting my teeth, as I peeled the wrapping off my the flesh clinging to it. The wound was leaking pus, and blood, the skin around it red and inflamed.

I opened his cabinet looking for antiseptic, or some kind of wash. I found a bottle of hydroperoxide. I sat it to the side for after my shower. I would douse the wound after I showered. If it didn't look any better I would have to go to the doctor, the last thing I needed was to lose my arm over an infection.

The shower water was hot, hotter than the water at my apartment, and I sat on the shower floor, letting it run over me, soaking my hair, not trusting my feet to hold me up. This was the most vaunable I'd been all day, the most accepting. Were they to burst in right now, guns up, determined on taking my life, I would not fight. Dying in the shower. There were worst ways to go.

I sat in the shower, sitting, unmoving until the water ran cold. Shivering I washed, rubbing Ax body wash on my skin, and in my hair.

A knock on the bathroom door, cause me to stand up, alert.

" Y-yes?"

" Hey you alright in there?" Jeremy called.

I turned off the shower.

" Yeah, I'm getting out now…"

" I've got food," he said. " You know when your ready?"

" Yeah," I said again, " Give me a minute…I…"

On the floor, Andrew's phone started to vibrate. Expecting Melina I picked it up quickly, my fingers over the answer button. I froze, realizing the caller ID read, ' Unknown.'

Fingers shaking, mind blink, I answered, and already knowing it wasn't Melina, Andrew, or Ultron.

" Hello?"

" Jade Wilson," the voice, a female voice on the other line said. I recognized it, faintly. Having heard it once, " I believe we've met before," she said.

" Y-yes."

" We should meet again."

"Who—who is this?"

" Do not be afraid, Jade Wilson," the voice said. " We are here to help."

* * *

 **Feedback is much appreciated.**

 **Two weeks before finals. Wish me luck.**


End file.
